The Maharashtra government on Monday confirmed that it has received all necessary approvals to transfer 937 hectares of reserved and protected forest land in Gadchiroli district to Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited (LMEL) for expanding its steel operations, the Hindustan Times reported .

The company, which has been engaged in mining and steel production in the region since 2023, plans to use the land for extracting low-grade iron ore.

LMEL currently runs its plant on 700 hectares in Gadchiroli, and the additional land will support its growth plans, according to an officer from the state mining department.

The company had first flagged the need for extra forest land in 2024 to pursue its expansion goals.

In February last year, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled an ambitious vision to transform Naxal-hit Gadchiroli into the "green steel hub of India." Soon after, LMEL announced a large-scale plan to process iron ore into steel at its facility in Hedri, Gadchiroli.

A government order confirmed that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has granted final approval for diverting 937.077 hectares of forest land in favour of the company.

The land will be used for excavation and recovery of low-grade iron ore from mines near villages Hedri, Bande, and Parsalgondi in the Etapalli taluka. "Now Government of Maharashtra hereby directs to divert this forest land to M/s Lloyds Metals And Energy Limited, Gadchiroli," the order states.

The order also stipulated that the chief conservator of forests, Gadchiroli, must confirm in consultation with the principal chief conservator that wildlife clearance is not needed before physically handing over the land.