New Delhi: The Steel Ministry has requested the Odisha government to reserve an iron ore block in Keonjhar district of the state for its steel PSU RINL, Parliament was informed Wednesday.
Based in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) is among the top six integrated steel manufacturers in India.
Unlike other primary steelmakers, the company at present does not have any iron ore linkage for captive use and sources the mineral from miners at market price.
Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Steel Minister Ram Chandra Prasad Singh said various Parliamentary Committees recommended allocation of captive mines to RINL.
“The Ministry of Steel has requested the Odisha government for reservation of one of the iron ore blocks of Malangtoli and Khandadhar in Keonjhar…In favour of RINL. RINL has also requested various states viz. Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for reservation of iron ore deposits,” he said.
Singh informed Rabodih OCP Coal mine was allotted to RINL earlier but subsequent to Union Cabinet’s ‘in-principle’ decision for disinvestment of 100 per cent government shareholding in RINL, the Ministry of Coal cancelled allotment of the said block to the PSU.
PTI
