The Orissa government will force investors to provide at least 90% of the jobs in their projects to the locals.
It has taken a decision to direct investors to reserve 90% of the skilled and unskilled jobs for the locals. If required, the government will effect amendments in the memorandums of understanding signed for steel, aluminium and other projects in the state. The district collectors will be told to ensure that the project promoters are implementing the decision, government sources said.
The government, meanwhile, has asked the MoU companies putting up mega projects in the state to give a detailed report about the opportunity the mother industry will create for ancillary and downstream industries.
So far, Posco India, Jindal Stainless Ltd, and Arati Steel have given their reports about ancillary and downstream industries. The MoU companies have sourced Rs 37 crore worth of materials from industries in the state for their project work by March 2008.
The state government on its own has identified that there is a scope for about 90 such industries to come up in Kalinganagar Industrial Complex near Dubri and 40 in Jharsuguda industrial area.
The government is proposing to develop Kalinganagar as a major hub for steel, while Sambalpur-Jharsuguda and Dhenkanal-Angul for steel, aluminium and power. Paradip would be developed as a petro-chemical and steel hub. Balasore will become a plastic hub, while Choudwar one for auto components. Port-related industries would come up at Dhamra port, being developed jointly by L&T and Tata Steel.
To encourage micro, small & medium enterprises to invest in the ancillary and downstream industries, the state government has already prepared the draft for a separate policy. The policy is expected to be announced by this year-end.