A day after ArcelorMittal scrapped plans to build its Rs. 40,000 project in Odisha, the state government on Thursday said that it was a 'non-starter' and the steel maker was 'never really interested' in setting up the plant there.
'ArcelorMittal was a non-starter and it was never really interested in building a steel plant in Odisha. It failed to meet major milestones though it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with us in 2006,' Odisha Steel and Mines Minister Rajni Kant Singh said.
In a major jolt to the state, the world's largest steel maker, in the biggest foreign investment pullout, on Wednesday scrapped its Rs. 40,000 crore steel plant at Keonjhar over inordinate delays, problems in acquiring land and securing iron ore linkages.
Singh said ArcelorMittal was a big steel player but it failed to take initiatives in achieving milestones or carrying out any corporate social responsibility (CSR).
He added that identifying land for its project was steel giant's task but it lagged on that front and the impression with the government was that the company was 'not interested'.
'At the same time, it had promised plenty of jobs but it failed to take any initiative on that front as well. Odisha is a backward state and so is Keyonjhar, a backward region, but the company never came forward for CSR activities,' he said.
The company, however, has claimed that since the announcement of the project it had completed important milestones such as the completion of a feasibility report, an environmental impact assessment study and other relevant technical reports.Besides, it has said that it also held eight gram sabhas (public hearings) and invested in a number of CSR projects.
'ArcelorMittal was a non-starter and it was never really interested in building a steel plant in Odisha. It failed to meet major milestones though it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with us in 2006,' Odisha Steel and Mines Minister Rajni Kant Singh said.
In a major jolt to the state, the world's largest steel maker, in the biggest foreign investment pullout, on Wednesday scrapped its Rs. 40,000 crore steel plant at Keonjhar over inordinate delays, problems in acquiring land and securing iron ore linkages.
Singh said ArcelorMittal was a big steel player but it failed to take initiatives in achieving milestones or carrying out any corporate social responsibility (CSR).
He added that identifying land for its project was steel giant's task but it lagged on that front and the impression with the government was that the company was 'not interested'.
'At the same time, it had promised plenty of jobs but it failed to take any initiative on that front as well. Odisha is a backward state and so is Keyonjhar, a backward region, but the company never came forward for CSR activities,' he said.
The company, however, has claimed that since the announcement of the project it had completed important milestones such as the completion of a feasibility report, an environmental impact assessment study and other relevant technical reports.Besides, it has said that it also held eight gram sabhas (public hearings) and invested in a number of CSR projects.