Metal to mining, Odisha’s big electoral bond donors

It operates a 2.12 million tonne per annum (MTPA) alumina refinery at Kashipur in Odisha’s Rayagada district with a captive bauxite reserve — Baphlimali — located close to the plant.

The company also has a captive power plant of 90MW along with a 5MW solar power plant. It has invested nearly Rs 9,000 crore in Odisha in the past three decades. Utkal caters to 70 per cent of Hindalco’s smelter’s alumina requirement and supplies to other domestic and international market.

In December last year, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik had presided over the ground-breaking ceremony for Aditya Alumina Refinery (HINDALCO) and Apparel Unit to be setup by Utkal Alumina Social Welfare Foundation. While the Alumina Refinery is coming up at Kansariguda, the apparel complex will be set in Phulujuba village, both in Rayagada district. The company has planned to invest over Rs 8,000 crore for the refinery unit.

In October 2023, state-owned Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and Hindalco Industries Limited, a subsidiary of the Aditya Birla Group, came together to sign an MoU for the Long-Term Linkage of Raw Material for Hindalco Alumina Refinery at Kanshariguda, Rayagada.

Naveen Jindal-led Jindal Steel and Power Limited has also purchased bonds worth Rs 123 crore. The company operates a 6 MTPA integrated steel plant in Odisha’s Angul district.

In July 2021, the high-level clearance authority of the state government led by the CM had approved a proposal for expansion of JSPL’s 6 MTPA steel plant capacity to 25.2 MTPA to make it largest single-location steel plant capacity in the world with a total investment of Rs 24,652 crore.

Rungta Sons Private Ltd operates several mines in Odisha.