MCL To Invest 60,000 Crore in Odisha

Bhubaneswar : Mahanadi Coalfields (MCL) planned to invest Rs 60,000 crore in Odisha, with Rs 31,000 crore to be spent on mining and social infrastructure development by 2023-24, the subsidiary of Coal India said in a statement, here on Saturday.

MCL plans to increase coal production capacity to 300 million tonnes with investment in three new projects — Siarmal in the Ib Valley coalfields, Subhadra and Balbhadra North in Talcher coalfields — as well as expansion of existing projects.

To build capacity, the company would invest in procurement of HEMMs (hand emplaced minefield marking set), besides setting up of 1600 MW (2×800) super critical thermal power plant at a cost of Rs 11,363 crore in the Sundergarh district, it said.

It will also invest in strengthening coal evacuation infrastructure, like doubling of 53-km Jharsuguda-Sardega rail line with a flyover at Jharsuguda station and construction of 12 rapid loading systems (RLS).