Mittal meets PM seeking support for steel projects

NEW DELHI: Steel tycoon L N Mittal on Thursday called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a day after announcing plans to set up steel plants with 24 million tones capacity provided he got infrastructural support and captive iron ore mines.

Mittal, who has proposed to set up two steel plants of 12 million tonnes capacity each in Jharkhand and Orissa, is believed to have sought Prime Minister's support for his mega investment plans in the country.

The Arcelor-Mittal head was accompanied by his son and Chief Financial Officer Aditya Mittal and Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, sources said.

Mittal said on Wednesday that he was committed to setting up the two steel plants. He said he has got an assurance for allocation of iron ore mines for steel projects and coal mines for setting up captive power plants.

Arcelor-Mittal's investment plans in Jharkhand could not take off owing to the impasse on Chiria iron ore mines. The steel maker had sought 600 million tonnes of ore from these mines while the state-run Steel Authority of India is not willing to part with mines.