By IANS
Ranchi : Steel baron L.M. Mittal’s firm Arcelor Mittal will participate in a trade fair organised by the Jharkhand government later this month.
“Arcelor Mittal is among the big companies that are participating in the trade fair this year,” Sudhir Mahto, deputy chief minister in charge of the industries department, told reporters here Saturday.
“The other big companies that will participate are Tata Steel, VSNL, Jindal and others,” he said.
The Indian-born businessman’s Europe-based firm will participate in the state’s trade fair for the first time. Last year the state government wanted Mittal Steel, as it was known then, to participate but the company stayed away.
Mittal Steel had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Jharkhand government in 2005 to set up a 12 million tonne steel plant in the state. The MoU expired in September, but the government extended it for three years.
The trade fair begins Nov 14 and will be on till Nov 21. Of the 475 stalls available, 410 have already been booked by various companies.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JSSI) is boycotting the fair. “What is the need to participate in the trade fair when the state government cannot provide us security?” said Manoj Naredi, vice president of the chamber.
He was referring to the killing of Sreetleather owner Ashish Dey, who was shot dead Friday in the steel city of Jamshedpur.
Reacting on the chamber’s decision, Mahto said: “The Jharkhand government has come out with a purchase policy which we had assured in the last trade fair. We are working on several other polices. We appeal to traders to participate in the fair in the interest of the state.”