Bhubaneswar, May 14: The Odisha Steel Producers’ Association (OSPA) convened its first Apex Committee meeting on 13th May 2026 at its registered office in Bhubaneswar under the chairmanship of its President, Asit Kumar Tripathy.
The meeting brought together senior representatives from leading steel and allied industries including Tata Steel, Jindal Steel, JSW Steel, Jindal Stainless, Aarti Steel Ltd, Rungta Mines Ltd, Essar Minmet, Narbheram Power & Steel Pvt Ltd and the SNM Group.
The deliberations reflected strong industry alignment with the Government of Odisha’s vision to enhance the state’s steel production capacity to 130 million tonnes by 2030.
The Apex Committee formally adopted OSPA’s bylaws, thereby institutionalizing its governance framework as a Section 8 not-for-profit company. The Committee also approved the Association’s Annual Budget and Establishment Plan for FY 2026–27, with a strong focus on structured industry advocacy and policy engagement.
Addressing the meeting, OSPA President Asit Kumar Tripathy called for a comprehensive review of routine permissions and approval processes to improve ease of doing business and accelerate industrial growth in the state.
“We should work towards a comprehensive proposal that removes unnecessary and redundant requirements with the objective of accelerating industrial growth in Odisha,” he said.
To provide focused technical inputs and strengthen policy advocacy, OSPA announced the formation of specialized sub-committees comprising industry experts. These committees will address critical areas including raw material supply, logistics, environment & forests, and land & rehabilitation, ensuring that OSPA’s recommendations are backed by technical expertise and industry consensus.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary General Sushil Kumar Popli emphasized the Association’s guiding philosophy of “Institutional Empathy.”
“OSPA is a bridge between industry and the State. Our objective is to foster a collaborative ecosystem where industrial growth and regulatory priorities move in harmony. Through our specialized sub-committees, we aim to deliver actionable solutions to sectoral bottlenecks,” Popli said.
The association also unveiled an ambitious activity calendar for the current financial year, featuring flagship initiatives and sectoral engagements with a special emphasis on Green Steel and sustainable industrial practices.
With its GST registration and permanent Secretariat now operational, OSPA will soon launch an extensive membership drive to bring downstream industries into its fold, thereby creating a unified and representative platform for Odisha’s entire steel ecosystem.
