Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: The state government will put nine more mines up for auction in the 2016-17 fiscal, steel and mines minister Prafulla Mallik said after the review meeting of his department chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the secretariat Wednesday.
“These mines will be put to auction after G-2 level exploration survey and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) survey of the mines are over,” Mallik said. The number of mines put up for auction could also increase, he said.
The state government will auction seven mines before August.
Three limestone, two iron ore, one manganese and one bauxite mine would be put to auction after completion of the G-2 level survey and DGPS survey, Mallik had said before the meeting of mines ministers held May 27 in Jaipur.
So far, three states — Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand — have auctioned their mines according to the provision of the Mines and Mineral Development (Regulation) Act (MMDR) 2015, Mallik said. Orissa is the only state to have auctioned an iron ore mine, the Ghoraburahani-Sagasahi iron ore mine of Sundergarh district, he said.
Two limestone mines that were put up for auction did not generate interest among bidders.
During the meeting at the secretariat Wednesday, the Chief Minister asked officials concerned to ensure that GPS is fitted in all mineral transport vehicles by September. This would help track the movement of these vehicles, Mallik said.
Patnaik also asked the steel and mines department officials to expedite the implementation of the Orissa Minor Mineral Concession Rules.
A decision to set up the Orissa Mineral Exploration Corporation in the state in July was also taken at the meeting.
Officials at the meeting also said that the steel and iron production in the state has increased over the last two years. Steel production has increased to 20.38 million tonne in 2015-16 from 11.5 million tonne in 2014-15. Iron ore production has increased to 80.87 million tonne in 2015-16 from 53.33 million tonne in 2014-15.
Patnaik also asked officials to prepare a blueprint for increasing the mineral exploration capacity to 20 million tonne by 2019.
