New Delhi: Union Minister for Mines Narendra Singh Tomar Tuesday met a group of mining lease holders from Orissa in his office here in the aftermath of the expiry of deadline set for payment of penalty imposed on them as per the Supreme Court order.
Union Mining Secretary Arun Kumar, other bodies and stakeholders associated with iron ore mining were present at the meeting held at the Ministry of Mines.
During the meeting, Tomar reportedly asked the mining lease holders who have failed to pay the penalty to approach the Supreme Court to relax the payment criteria. Ways and means to boost the iron ore production was also discussed.
Among the mining lease holders present at the meeting were Naveen Jindal from Jindal Mines; representatives from Rungta, TISCO, MGM Minerals, Aryan Mining, Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI).
After the meeting, Tomar told news persons that the mining lease holders who paid their penalties as per the SC order and are operating were suggested to take steps to boost their production and work aggressively in their sector. When asked why the state government was not invited to the meeting, Tomar said that the event was called by the mining associations and (it was) not a prerogative of the Union government.
The minister also said that a meeting of mining ministers has been planned in the coming days in Goa where a roadmap could be chalked out on the steps needed to be taken by the states and the Centre to boost mining and brainstorm on other vital issues confronting the mining sector in the country.
A total of 52 mining lease holders from Orissa comprising lessees who paid the penalties and those who had not, were also invited for the talks at ministry level here.
PNN
