Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Dec 4: The state government has extended the lease period of 54 mines under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015, State Steel and Mines minister, Prafulla Kumar Mallick said.
Mines of different categories like iron ore, bauxite, manganese have availed the benefit of extension under the new mines act.
Notably, the amended MMDR Act, 2015 has allowed extension of captive leases till 2030 and those of non-captive mines till 2020.
As per data available with the state government, iron and manganese ore mines of Tata Steel at Khandbandh, Katamati, Joda West, Bamebari among others have received extension of lease period. While some mines have received the extension till 2020, others have received lease extension till 2030.
Similarly, chromite, iron ore and manganese mines of Orissa Mining Corporation have received lease extension under the provision of the act.
Mines at Daitari, Sukrangi, South Kaliapani, and Kamarda Balipadia among others have been given lease extension under the act.
Lease period of Aluminium major, National Aluminium Company’s bauxite mines’ at Panchpatmali (South Block) and Panchpatmali (North Block) have been extended till March 2020.
Lease period of manganese mines of Rungta Mines has been extended as per the provisions of this MMDR (Amendment) Act till 2020.
The Steel minister also said that government has issued notices to companies which had extracted excess minerals beyond the permitted levels. Many of these cases are subjudice now in various courts of law, he added.