Land Acquisition Begins for Mega AM/NS Steel Plant in Odisha
383 acres being verified in Kendrapara district; villagers to get compensation as per law
Bhubaneswar, May 17: The process to build one of the world’s largest steel plants in Odisha has taken a major step forward, with the district administration starting land verification work for the proposed ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS) India project in Badatubi village of Mahakalapada block, Kendrapara district.
Officials have begun checking ownership records for 383 acres of land needed in the first phase of the ambitious project. Kendrapara Deputy Collector and Land Acquisition Officer Kuini Jena said that verifying land ownership and documents like title deeds and encumbrance certificates is essential before acquisition begins.
“We are identifying the rightful owners and checking for any disputes or legal issues tied to the land,” said Jena. She added that the verification will be completed soon, after which the land will be officially handed over to AM/NS India for setting up the plant.
As per the law, all affected families and displaced villagers will receive fair compensation, the officer assured.
The Odisha government had earlier issued a notification on December 3, 2023, under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, to acquire the land. This project marks a major boost for the state’s industrial growth and is expected to transform the local economy.
The proposed steel plant will have a capacity of 24 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and will be built at a staggering cost of ₹1.02 lakh crore. It will be located in the coastal area of Badatubi, near the Bay of Bengal, offering strategic advantages for logistics and export.
Back in August 2021, ArcelorMittal’s Executive Chairman Lakshmi Niwas Mittal personally visited the site and held discussions with local officials. Later, during a trip to Japan in April 2023, then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met Nippon Steel Corporation President Eiji Hashimoto in Tokyo and announced the plant as part of Odisha’s plan to attract global investment.
Once complete, this state-of-the-art steel plant is expected to generate thousands of jobs and significantly boost Odisha’s position in the global steel industry. The current land acquisition process marks the beginning of this transformation
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