Gadchiroli is a backward district but rich in high quality minerals. Iron ore, manganese ore, limestone, etc. are available in abundance. This has inspired the Infra Man Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to promote Gadchiroli as the next steel industry hub of India. In line with this, Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday (July 22), inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of a number of projects of Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited at Konsari in Gadchiroli. This included the foundation stone laying of Maharashtra’s first mega integrated steel project, which will create approximately 20 thousand jobs in Gadchiroli in the next two and a half years and give the district and its surrounding places a boost in their economic conditions.
22nd July is the birthday of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. This year, he celebrated his birthday as Maharashtra Sevak by inaugurating several important projects in Gadchiroli, a mix of private sector projects and government projects under the Gadchiroli Development Scheme. He inaugurated a 5 million tonne capacity iron ore grinding unit at Hedri in Gadchiroli, a 10 MTPA capacity slurry pipeline, a 4 MTPA capacity pellet plant, and a 4.5 MTPA capacity integrated steel plant. This is the first steel project in Vidarbha, to be built against an investment worth Rs 24,000 crore. Apart from these, Bhoomi Pujan for a 100 bed hospital and a CBSE school was also done at this visit. With these industrial and government projects, Gadchiroli is set to witness an all out development in terms of employment, education, health and infrastructure.
Gadchiroli’s per capita income will soon be among the top 10 states in Maharashtra…
The iron ore in Gadchiroli is of the best quality in the country, with the presence of an average 67% iron content in it. With this huge reserve of high quality minerals, Gadchiroli and Maharashtra are poised to become a top producer of steel in the world. Currently, the per capita income in Gadchiroli is among the lowest of all states in Maharashtra. However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is confident that Gadchiroli will soon experience significant industrialization, which will boost the economy of the district and lift its per capita income among the top ten districts in the state. Lloyds is not only setting up industries in Gadchiroli, it’s also training the local youth on industrial skills to make them employable in its production facilities. Even the Naxalite youth who have surrendered, can avail of this opportunity to join the mainstream. Currently, Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited (LMEL) employs 11,000 employees and this number is going to reach 13,000 soon. The company’s expansion program will require to further this figure to 20,000 employees in the near future. Meanwhile, the company has offered shares at Rs 4 each under ESOP (Employee Stock Option Scheme). This has given opportunities to the employees to have stakes in the company. So far, 10,600 employees have taken the benefit of ESOP. This scheme is becoming a unique model in this sector.
Due to its abundant mineral resources, steel and cement industries will thrive in the Gadchiroli district. The district’s proximity to the south helps the steel producers in Gadchiroli have a good customer base in South India. The Lloyds projects alone will invest Rs 40,000 crore in Gadchiroli. More players are expected to come to make the investment amounts significantly more to make Gadchiroli Maharashtra’s steel city.
Gadchiroli is a district rich in minerals but poor in facilities, due to which minerals after mining, would be taken out to other states for processing. Devendra Fadnavis was the first CM who thought about processing the minerals in Gadchiroli district itself. Accordingly, in 2017, the foundation stone for Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd. steel plant in Gadchiroli was laid by him. This plant started operation in 2023. Besides industrialization, Fadnavis is also keen about developments of Gadchiroli in terms of education, health care, municipalities, roads, transport, power supply, and more to ensure better living for the people. Under his government, the backward district of Gadchiroli will leap frog to become a bright spot on the Industrial map of India. This transformation is the result of the visionary mind and dynamism of Devendra Fadnavis. The Infra Man does it again.