Centre plans defence unit with Tata Group in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, May 26: A major defence production unit has been proposed in Gopalpur in Orissa, where Tata group can partner the state and the central governments, union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Tuesday.

He also proposed developing Orissa as a future oil and gas hub of eastern India and said that about ` 1 lakh crore is expected to be invested in the hydrocarbon sector in the state in five to seven years. “Steps have been initiated for establishment of a defence manufacturing unit at Gopalpur in Ganjam district as part of the ‘ Make in India’ drive,” the minister for petroleum and natural gas said.

Tata group has 3,000 acres of land at Gopalpur and the company has been asked to be a partner in the proposed venture which can come up in their area, Mr Pradhan said.

The project is at a conceptual stage and can be developed jointly by Tata, Orissa government and the Centre, he added. The Modi government also plans to set up an international standard skill development centre of excellence in Bhubaneswar to provide training in hydro- carbon sector, he added.