AMNS project grounding imminent, Steel Minister Varma says Centre accorded all permissions

With Union Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma announcing clearing all approvals, the work on the mega steel plant by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AMNS) is all set to start soon.

Close on the heels by a request by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to the Centre to accord the required approvals to ground work on the big ticket project, Vsrma at ISA (Indian Steel Association) Steel Conclave in New Delhi said that the stone for the upcoming steel plant will be laid soon. The project proponent has signed MoU with Andhra Pradesh Government for establishing the greenfield steel plant with a captive port near Nakkapalli in Anakapalle district, about 80 km from here. The Minister said the Centre is laying emphasis on decarbonisation and Green Steel Mission and achieving 300 million tonne steel production capacity by 2030..

AMNS has committed to invest Rs.1.35 lakh crore to produce 7.3 million tonnes in the first phase and 10,55 million tonnes in the subsequent phase. The first phase will involve an investment of Rs.55,964 crore and second phase will need Rs.80,000 crore. Raw material supply is proposed to be sourced through a slurry pipeline keeping in view the logistic cost and environmental factor. The Chief Minister had mentioned about the proposal to lay a slurry pipeline before Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the city early this year.

AMNS has paid the amount for land acquisition and the required survey is over. In the first phase, it may be handed over a little over 2,000 acres.Separate GOs have been issued granting it permission for developing a captive jetty. Incidentally, AMNS is the first industrial project in Andhra Pradesh to get a captive jetty. Earlier, the same land was allotted to Anrak Aluminium Limited (AAL), which has an alumina refinery, at Rajayyapeta . The proposal was later dropped following public protests.

AMNS has promised employment to 20,000 in first phase and 35,000 in second phase.State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) met under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister recommended to the government the allotment of 148.26 acres and 168.03 acres in separate phases for creating a cargo handling capacity of 20.5 million tonnes initially. The company will spend Rs.5,816 on the first phase of the captive jetty and Rs.5,382 crore on the next phase.