Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated a tea packaging unit of Tata Consumer Products Ltd at Gopalpur in the state’s Ganjam district. The plant was commissioned in 18 months with an investment of Rs 100 crore, officials said.

It will provide employment opportunities to more than 900 persons, they said, adding that it will be developed as the largest tea packaging plant in the country. It has a production capacity of 15 million kg of tea, which will be further enhanced to 50 million kg, they said.

The unit will cater to the needs of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, besides the states in central India, officials said. The unit will be run by Amalgamated Plantations, an associate of Tata Consumer Products. The chief minister appreciated the role of the Tata Group in the industrial development of Odisha.

“They have also come forward in catalyzing social development through partnering with the Government of Odisha in education, health, and skill development initiatives. I thank Tata Group for assisting the state government in mobilizing medical oxygen, PSA, plants, and critical accessories during the COVID pandemic,” he said.