Pravash Pradhan
Post News Network
New Delhi, May 22: Orissa steel and mines minister Prafulla Kumar Mallick has rated the BJP-led NDA government seven out of ten for its reform policies in the coal and mines sector.
Mallick said that there will be an increase in state’s share of revenue out of allocation of coal blocks and auction of mines in Orissa.
“It is the Orissa government that had demanded the introduction of auction of mines first. The central proposal came after that. Though the state is likely to get more revenue because of the coal block allocations, there is no clarity on the amount of revenue Orissa will get,” he said.
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley highlighted the allocation of coal blocks and opening up of mines through auctions while presenting a report card on the achievements of the NDA government during the last one year.
The Union minister claimed that the central government has taken initiatives to strengthen the system of cooperative federalism. “Revenue realised through coal auctions shall go to states, as an example of cooperative federalism,” he said.
Jaitley said the Modi government has eliminated political and governmental corruption, put the economy back on track and accused the Congress of adopting obstructionism to growth.
Maintaining that the BJP-led NDA government has created an environment of enthusiasm in which decision-making process has become transparent, he said the government’s decisiveness in the face of obstructionism has been its hallmark with speed of taking decisions.
Jaitley expressed confidence that the controversial land bill will be passed in the next Parliament session because “the numbers are clear”. Similarly, the indirect taxation reforms measure Goods and Service Tax (GST) will be passed in the next session.
The minister disapproved of remarks made by his colleague Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who had said those who want to eat beef could go to Pakistan or any other country.
He dismissed opposition criticism over overseas visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying his visit to 18 countries in the last one year has earned for the nation a special place in the world.
