Odisha's state government has given the green light to eight major industrial projects, totaling an investment of over Rs 1.51 lakh crore. Officials say these projects are expected to create more than 62,000 job opportunities.

These projects received approval at a special meeting, called the High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA), led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

The approved projects cover a range of industries including aluminum, chemicals, steel, textiles, and other metal-related businesses. They'll be spread across six different districts: Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Khurda, and Sambalpur.

Chief Minister Majhi mentioned that since June 12 of last year, his government has held six such HLCA meetings.

During these meetings, a total of 62 projects have been approved, bringing in an estimated investment of Rs 5.67 lakh crore and potentially creating around 2.42 lakh jobs, according to officials.

The Chief Minister stated that "This progress is a clear step towards the national goal of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 and the state’s vision of ‘Samruddha Odisha’ by 2036. Odisha is moving towards becoming a leading industrial and investment hub in India."

In the aluminum sector, Vedanta Ltd is making the biggest move with a proposal of Rs 1,28,000 crore. This is for a new aluminum factory that can produce 3 million tons each year, along with a 4,900-megawatt power plant for its own use, both in Dhenkanal.