Calcutta: The Odisha government is focussed on developing downstream industries that will use the wide array of metals being produced in the state.

The state is keen to attract investments from Bengal. Industry department officials of Odisha have met members of the EEPC (Engineering Export Promotion Council) and firms having foundry establishments in and around Howrah.

"The state government is coming out with a vision document which envisages that by 2030, 50 per cent of the metals that is produced by Odisha in terms of stainless steel and aluminium would be converted to downstream products and finished products.

"Right now it is maybe around 10 per cent. So, we intend to take it up so that there is value addition within the state," said Sanjeev Chopra, principal secretary, industries department, Odisha government.

"We feel the advantage that Odisha has is several plants which are already producing metals in the state (Hindalco, Vedanta, National Aluminium, Jindal Steel, Tata Steel). While the state government has been successful in adding value to minerals but as much success has not been achieved in downstream which is the next phase of our industrial growth," said Chopra.

The government is looking to develop industrial parks and has already initiated discussions with several metal producers.

"The first one which is off the block is the Angul Aluminium Park being set up by Nalco. We have given in-principle approval to Jindal Stainless for a similar park at Kalinganagar. We have got a proposal from Vedanta for a park at Jharsuguda and now we are in discussions with Tata Steel for a similar plant at Kalinganagar," Chopra said.

"In case we get the mother plants on board, they would be able to supply hot metal to the units which are coming into the park. That would bring down the cost of production. With that objective we had the meeting," he said, adding that there were around 20 companies with whom there were discussions and they have given some suggestion.

The department will work out the details before another meeting.