Odisha sets up SSWCA to clear tourism projects

Odisha government has set up a Special Single Window Clearance Authority (SSWCA) to clear relevant tourism projects. The 13-member committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, can approve tourism projects with a maximum investment proposal of Rs 50 crore.

From now onwords, investors need not run from one office to another to get their projects cleared as the committee has members from different departments. It is also empowered to consult experts before giving approval.

According to State Tourism Policy-2013, projects have to go through three-tier system of committees for clearance

NSL to shift its plant to Odisha

Hyderabad-based NSL Nagapatanam Power and Infratech Private Limited has decided to relocate its 1,320 MW thermal power project from Tamil Nadu to Odisha following public protest there.

This will be the second power project of the company in the State after merger of Mahanadi Aban Power Company Limited with NSL Power as per the July 27, 2012 order of the Madras High Court.

The company is in the process of acquiring land for the second project in Angul district. It has applied for clearances from the State Government and the proposal is being scrutinised by the Industrial Investment Promotion Corporation of Odisha Limited (IPICOL).

Odisha recommends extension of Gopalpur SEZ

The Odisha government has recommended to the Union ministry of commerce & industry to extend formal approval for Tata Steel’s multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Gopalpur for one year.

The state has requested to the ministry to place the matter before the Board of Approvals (BoA) on SEZs for consideration and approval. Tata Steel is the anchor tenant for the industrial park being developed at Gopalpur on an area of 2,952 acre. Establishment of SEZ requires a minimum land area of 2,500 acre. In March this year, Tata Steel obtained coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) approval from the Union ministry of environment & forests (MoEF) for the industrial park. 

The land has been acquired by Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) for an integrated steel mill originally proposed by Tata Steel in 1995. But later, the Tata Steel shelved the steel plant and instead proposed to construct a 50,000 tpa ferrochrome plant and one 4,00,000 rebar mill over an area of 400 acre along with the cluster of project over an area of 2,952 acre.