Bhubaneswar, Odisha : Keonjhar district is set to host Odisha’s second mega steel plant, marking a historic step in the state’s industrial growth. The upcoming project will be established at Patna in Keonjhar through a joint venture between South Korea’s renowned steel giant POSCO and India’s JSW Steel.
The announcement has brought immense joy to Keonjhar residents, who extended their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Various organizations, citizen forums, youth groups, press clubs, and intellectual circles of the district gathered in Bhubaneswar to felicitate the Chief Minister.
Chief Minister Majhi emphasized that Keonjhar, being mineral-rich, deserved such a project for decades. He recalled how the demand for a steel plant in Keonjhar was a long-standing aspiration included in his party’s manifesto. He assured that with the “double-engine government,” large-scale industrialization will not be confined to Keonjhar alone but spread across Odisha.
The Chief Minister also expressed confidence that Patna region will soon transform into a modern hub like Rourkela, with the new plant creating vast employment and development opportunities. He attributed the achievement to the blessings of Lord Jagannath, Maa Tarini, and Lord Baladev, urging locals to extend full cooperation in making the project successful.
Residents hailed the move as a turning point for Keonjhar’s future, noting that the district’s iron ore, often exported abroad, will now be utilized for Odisha’s own growth.