Mumbai | Jun 22, 2015: When Kulamani Samal, a Biju Janta Dal candidate won the Jagatsinghpur seat in the 2014 general election defeating the Communist Party of India candidate, it was seen as people wanting change after a decade, and a new hope arose on the project getting a thrust.

In a brief telephonic interview, Samal said: “The Posco project has not been discussed lately. The main source of opposition is tribal affairs minister Jual Oram. This has held up everything.”

“On 13 July, the state and central government ministers and officials will be meeting… then it will be clearly known whether the iron-ore mine can go to Posco,” Samal said.

“This meeting will be attended by the chief minister, central mines minister, central steel minister and relevant officials, and I will also be there as member of Parliament of the constituency. In Jagatsinghpur, about 60-70% are in favour of the plant. Now who will take the land—whether it will be the Koreans or someone else, it will be clear after the meeting,” Samal said. “Posco is very much interested in the steel plant, but the whole thing depends on the mine.”

(Source: http://www.livemint.com/)

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