Orissa govt to examine shipbuilding proposal

BHUBANESWAR: Orissa, which plans to set up at least a dozen of ports along its 450 km long coastline, has received a proposal for shipbuilding and repair yards with an estimated investment of Rs 2,200 crore.

Official sources said Bharati Shipyard Ltd and Apeejay Surendra Group, had jointly proposed to develop a state-of-art shipbuilding and ship repair yards at Dhamara in Bhadrak district.

"The government is examining the proposal", Industries Minister B B Harichandan said.

Official sources said the government was serious about the proposal because this would be labour-oriented with massive job opportunities. As many as 41,000 people could be provided with jobs if it materialised.

In their proposal, the promoters said they preferred Orissa because of easy availability of raw materials as well as manpower. The project required huge quantity of steel for shipbuilding and repair activities.

The promoters had also assured the government that they would go by the resettlement and rehabilitation policy of Orissa government while acquiring land for their project.