Hyderabad, Feb 19 (IANS): The Telangana government has asked the Jindal Group to be ready to set up steel plant at Bayyaram in the state, if Steel Authority of India (SAIL) opts out for any reason.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao suggested this when a delegation from Jindal called on him here Thursday.

Neeraj Kumar, CEO-cum-director, Jindal Saw, a part of Jindal Group, and some other top officials met Rao.

SAIL has proposed to set up the plant at Bayyaram on Warangal-Khammam border. The state and central governments earlier this month decided to constitute a joint task force to look into the proposal for the steel plant.

According to a statement from the chief minister's office, Jindal evinced interest in being partner in various development projects of the newly-created state.

It offered to supply required pipelines for the massive drinking water supply programme announced by the Telangana government. The delegation told the chief minister that if necessary they will set up a manufacturing plant in Telangana.

The chief minister said the government would consider the proposal.