Tata Steel's Rs 3,200-crore Ludhiana plant to begin operations in March: CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday said Tata Steel will commence operations at its new manufacturing plant in Ludhiana from March, providing a major boost to industrial growth in the state. Mann said the project shows the increasing confidence of industry in the state's policies and governance. The plant, coming up near HiTech Valley, will have a 0.75 MTPA Electric Arc Furnace-based steelmaking facility, along with a rebar mill. The project is spread over 115 acres. He said the initial investment of Rs 2,600 crore has now increased to Rs 3,200 crore. The plant is expected to create employment for around 2,500 people. The chief minister said the unit will use 100 per cent steel scrap as raw material and adopt an environmentally friendly production process. The Electric Arc Furnace technology reduces carbon emissions compared to traditional methods, he added. Mann said the Ludhiana facility will be Tata Steel's second-largest plant in India after Jamshedpur and the company's biggest investment in Punjab. He added that the Punjab government ensured the timely execution of the project and assured full support for its smooth operation and future expansion.