Posco plant to come up in Orissa: Patnaik

New Delhi: Orissa Chief Minister Navin Patnaik today expressed his confidence that Korean steel giant Posco would set up the 12-million tonne steel plant in the state.

Patnaik said that Posco was the biggest ever foreign direct investment in India the state government was working hard to facilitate it in its establishment. "We are trying to ensure land availability for the project," Patnaik added.

He said the project would definitely fructify in due course of time. He, however, refused to spell out as to how fast would the hurdles be removed to enable the Korean steel giant set up the mega integrated steel project.

Patnaik, who was in New Delhi, also met steel minister Ram Vilas Paswan to discuss the mining leases of SAIL, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) and National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC).

Paswan asked Patnaik to consider the eight existing mining lease applications besides four others, a steel ministry official said.

Patnaik also sought Paswan''s help for setting up a petrochemical and petroleum investment region (PCPIR) near port city of Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district of the state.