Coal India Limited’s (CIL) board has given its approval for conducting a pre-feasibility study for putting up an aluminium project in Odisha, as part of the State-owned company’s ambitious plans to diversify to other sectors.

The Maharatna company had received in-principal approval for its foray into aluminium and solar energy sectors in December 2020.

CIL’s greenfield aluminium project in Odisha will include bauxite mining and will have an alumina refinery, an aluminium smelter as well as a captive power plant which would be managed by the company’s wholly owned subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields Limited.

Coal India is the largest dry fuel producer in the country as more than 80 per cent of coal is provided by it.

In its recently released agenda for 2021-22, the company had elaborated that it plans to diversify into newer fields like electric vehicles, charging pods and other sunrise sectors.

The company informed about getting the board’s approval for the pre-feasibility study in a  regulatory filing.