Jajpur, Jan. 4: A Rs 350-cr sugar complex, the first in north Orissa, will come up next year, said official sources. The complex, proposed to be set up at the Nayagarh Sugar Complex, would be near Dhamnagar in Bhadrak district and generate 50,000 direct and 1.5 lakh indirect employment, sources said.

“People of north Orissa, particularly farmers and sugarcane growers, have long wanted a sugar complex. We have spoken with the Bhadrak district administration for around 250 acre of land owned by the Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) near Dhamnagar. As soon as we get the land we will begin building the complex,” said Trailokya Mishra, MD of Nayagarh Sugar Industry, adding that Rs 350 crore would be invested.

The climate in Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga river basin in north Orissa is ideal for sugarcane. Apart from Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj, farmers in Jajpur and Keonjhar districts normally grow sugarcane.