Odisha has significantly strengthened its position in India’s steel industry by expanding its crude steel production capacity by 6.15 million tonnes, bringing the total to 31.48 MT, as revealed by the Union Minister of State for Steel, Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, in the Rajya Sabha. The state now hosts 60 operational steel plants-59 private and one public-reflecting its growing industrial strength and investment appeal.
This growth comes within a policy environment that promotes deregulation while granting environmental clearances and offering Production Linked Incentives (PLI) for specialty steel projects. These measures are aimed at boosting domestic production, reducing reliance on imports, and attracting capital-that together support robust sectoral expansion .
Odisha’s steel success has solid roots: leveraging ample mineral resources, investor-friendly regulations, and substantial private-sector participation. It now leads the nation with 54 integrated steel plants and accounts for over 55 per cent of India’s iron ore production, with ambitious plans to scale capacity to 130 MT by 2030‑31. Major players such as JSPL, JSW, and Tata Steel are driving this expansion through ongoing projects and capacity doubling initiatives.
The accelerated growth in steel infrastructure positions Odisha as a strategic powerhouse in India’s broader industrial development narrative. With an infrastructure base, policy support, and ambitious expansion trajectory, the state is charting a path toward its goal of contributing a third of India’s steel output and catalyzing economic growth in eastern India.
