Questioning the Dominant Development Model: Local Assertions in Eastern India

Abstract

The rich stock of mineral resources of the state of Odisha in the Eastern part of India has attracted the attention of global capital for large-scale mining and establishment of mineral- based industries. Large multinational corporations are showing interest to establish steel and aluminum plants in Odisha. The government of Odisha has already signed more than 40 MOUs (Memorandum of Understandings) to produce about 58 MTPA steel. Further, since Odisha has a huge bauxite deposit that is 49.74 per cent of the country's deposit the state government is trying to lease out the bauxite mines to various companies to establish Aluminium industries in the state. The agreement signed between the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and the Utkal Alumina Limited (UAL) to set up an Alumina project in Rayagada district is one major example. Projects by Vedanta Alumina Limited and others are also lined up.