This remarkable achievement highlights the company’s resilience, operational prowess, and steadfast commitment to value creation.

According to the audited financial results released yesterday, NALCO has reached an unprecedented financial landmark, recording its highest-ever net profit of ₹5,325 crore, reflecting a robust year-on-year increase of 158%. The company also reported its all-time highest revenue from operations amounting to ₹16,788 crore for FY 25.

Addressing employees regarding this extraordinary achievement, Brijendra Pratap Singh, CMD of NALCO, expressed heartfelt congratulations. He emphasized that this record-breaking performance exemplifies the power of teamwork, prudent financial management, commitment, and alignment with NALCO’s strategic vision. This accomplishment is a source of pride not just for NALCO, but also for every employee, valued stakeholders, the Ministry of Mines, the Government of India, and the state of Odisha.

Reinforcing NALCO’s commitment to sustainable long-term growth, Singh noted that while this year’s exceptional performance was bolstered by favorable alumina and aluminium prices, enduring success relies on agility, operational excellence, and consistent high performance. He highlighted key strategic initiatives aimed at driving NALCO’s next growth phase, including the 5th Stream expansion of the Alumina Refinery, operationalization of the Pottangi Bauxite Mines, and the proposed expansion of the existing Smelter Plant and Captive Power Plant.

“These forward-looking projects will create a strong foundation for sustainable and resilient growth, further solidifying NALCO’s leadership in the global aluminium industry,” he stated.

Senior leadership, including Sadashiv Samantaray (Director, Commercial), Pankaj Kumar Sharma (Director, Production), Jagdish Arora (Director, P&T), Dr. Tapas Kumar Pattanayak (Director, HR), and Pranab Jyoti Nath (CVO), were present to acknowledge the collective efforts at NALCO and extend their congratulations to the team for maintaining a competitive edge in performance and productivity.

An expert team from the NHAI inspected the site of the collapsed retaining wall on NH 66 on Monday. The team, featuring Dr. Anil Dixit from Jaipur and Dr. Jimmy Thomas from Kochi, performed a preliminary assessment of the affected areas, which include both the main highway and the service road.

According to initial findings, no issues were detected in the construction of the protective wall made of cement blocks. Dr. Jimmy Thomas stated that “the preliminary conclusion indicates a soil-related problem.”

“A comprehensive analysis of various factors, including soil composition, road design, and construction methods, is necessary. Only after a detailed investigation can we determine the exact cause,” he emphasized.

In addition to Kooriyad, multiple other sections of roads under the NH 66 widening project have experienced collapses and cracks in northern Kerala. On Wednesday, residents protested at the NH construction site in Kuppam, Kannur, following two landslips reported in a single day.

In Kasaragod, a 72-foot crack appeared on the NH near Mavungal, close to another crack discovered the previous day. The service road near Kooliyangal in Kanhangad also collapsed, raising concerns over the quality of roadwork in the region.

The Youth Congress staged a protest march in Kooriyad on Wednesday, led by state leaders including Abin Varkey, demanding accountability from KNR Constructions Ltd for alleged negligence.

Meanwhile, Kozhikode MP M.K. Raghavan has written to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, urging immediate action to address these issues before the monsoon season. “In many areas of Kozhikode, hills have been cleared unsafely for road construction,” he noted.

This policy represents a significant shift from previous approaches, emphasizing voluntary participation and empowering landowners to play an active role in the state’s advancement.

During a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Cheema stressed the policy’s key principle of 100% voluntary participation, stating, “With this visionary policy, there will be no forced land acquisition. We have created a framework that respects the rights and aspirations of our farmers and landowners.”

The finance minister also pointed out the considerable economic incentives for participating landowners. “This policy directly caters to the rising demand for affordable housing in our urban areas, a consequence of Punjab’s swift urbanization. Market projections suggest that farmers involved in this Land Pooling Policy could see returns of up to 400% on their land investments,” he noted.

Cheema elaborated that the development agencies of the Punjab government will manage the pooled land, providing essential infrastructure like roads, water supply, drainage, and electricity. “Once developed, land will be returned to the original owners based on their contribution, significantly appreciating in value. Owners will then have the freedom to utilize their developed plots however they wish, whether for personal use or sale,” he added.

Positioning this policy as a decisive measure against land mafias and illegal colonies, Cheema remarked, “For over 30 years, the Congress and Akali-BJP governments have colluded with land mafias, enriching political allies at the farmers’ expense. This policy brings an end to that corrupt system.”

He criticized the Opposition for misleading the public regarding the AAP government’s commitment to transform urban development and empower landowners. “Their outrage is a transparent attempt to defend their cronies in the land mafia. During their tenures, vast swathes of farmland were seized from farmers and sold to developers at inflated prices. They fear that our plan to extend the Land Pooling Policy to all major cities in Punjab—ensuring affordable, world-class housing—will dismantle their corrupt networks,” he alleged.

The advantages of the new policy are evident when compared to the old land acquisition system. For instance, if the market value of one acre of land is ₹1.25 crore, the old policy would acquire it for merely ₹1.2 crore, calculated at the collector rate of ₹30 lakh, multiplied by a factor of 2 (for rural areas), plus a 100% solatium, as per an official statement.

In stark contrast, under the new land pooling policy, the landowner would receive a developed residential area of 1,000 square yards and a commercial area of 200 square yards in return for one acre of land. With an assumed market value of ₹30,000 per square yard for residential land and ₹60,000 per square yard for commercial land, the total value received would approximate ₹4.2 crore (1,000 sq yds × ₹30,000 + 200 sq yds × ₹60,000).