Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Feb 6: The state government Friday said it will ask the Centre again to accept its recommendation to give the Khandadhar iron ore reserve to Posco.
“We will urge the Centre to consider our recommendation again,” steel and mines minister Prafulla Kumar Mallick said. “The state government has assured Posco of all help and would take up the matter with the Centre again.”
Mallick’s reaction came in view of Union steel minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s statement Thursday in which Tomar had said that the South Korean steel major too must participate in bidding to get mining lease.
Mallick said the state government had already submitted all requisite documents to the Centre to ensure prospecting license in favour of Posco-India on Khandadhar iron ore reserve.
“Both UPA and NDA have assured the South Korean steel major of support to its project. The Centre must not differ from its international commitment,” he said.
“As the recommendation in favour of Posco was made much before the Centre’s ordinance on auction of non-coal mines, the Centre should spare the foreign investor from the bidding process.”
Mallick said the issue has also been raised during the mines ministers’ meet last month.
State BJP president KV Singh Deo, however, questioned why the state government failed to go ahead with land acquisition and renewal of MoU after its expiry.
“It has also been attempting to acquire land since past 10 years but is yet to complete the process,” he said.
“The decision of the Centre is aimed at giving benefits to the states concerned. The mines minister is only concerned with the interests of Posco and not that of the state,” said Singh Deo.
While Posco was previously promised the Khandadhar iron ore mine by the state government, as per the MMDR Amendment Ordinance 2015, the steel firm has to participate in the upcoming auction to get an iron ore mine for its $12 billion steel project in
the state.
