CAG has termed the land allotment to Tata Power within the CDA area 'irregular and unauthorized'

Odisha has drawn flak from the Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) yet again over irregular allotment of land. This time, unauthorised grant of administrative nod for acquisition of private as well as government land in favour of Tata Power has invited CAG’s wrath.

Energy department has urged bulk power purchaser Gridco & Ipicol to study similar policies of other states

Coming under a veiled attack from independent power producers (IPPs) due to its demand for free power, the Odisha government has now decided to scrutinize policies of other states before taking any final call on its comprehensive thermal power policy on the pipeline.
The state energy department has urged bulk power purchaser Gridco and investment promotion agency- Industrial Promotion & Investment Corporation of Odisha Ltd (Ipicol) to study similar policies of other states.

The company had signed an MoU with the state govt in Sep 2006, it envisaged an investment of Rs 4,500 cr

Monnet Power Company Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Monnet Ispat & Energy Ltd, hopes to commission the first 525 Mw unit of its 1050 Mw coal-based power plant in Odisha by September this year. The power project is coming up at Chhendipada near Angul.

Odisha yet to furnish its compliance to the Coal ministry with respect to illegal coal mining

Amid ongoing probe by the M B Shah commission of enquiry into illegal mining in Odisha, the Ministry of coal has urged the state government to take appropriate action to curb illegal coal mining. "The observations and recommendations regarding farming of specific rules by the state to prevent/control of illegal mining and also formation of the task force with regular reporting system would be relevant and applicable for the coal sector also.

The row surrounding transfer of land for industrial park proposed at Gopalpur in south Odisha has seemingly affected starting of construction activity by Tata Steel which is the anchor tenant for the project.

With state government officials still in a dilemma on whether the land transfer deed needs to be executed in the name of Tata Steel or Gopalpur Special Economic Zone (SEZ), work on project has suffered a delay. This is despite the fact that the steel maker has taken advanced possession of land and is almost through with boundary wall construction.

State PSU to challenge de-allocation of Baitarani west coal block

The Odisha Hydro Power Corporation ( OHPC) is set to file a petition in the Odisha High Court, challenging the order of the Ministry of Coal on de-allocation and invocation of 50 per cent bank guarantee in respect of Baitarani west coal block. The coal block was jointly allocated to OHPC and two PSUs of other states – Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd (GPCL) and Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

Three resolutions of the Odisha government to impose unprecedented curbs on mining activity and triggering a legal tussle between the government and the mine lessees have come across a central government wall.

The ministry of mines has asked it to scrap all the three resolutions, saying they breach mining laws. Through these resolutions, the state steel and mines department sought to achieve a three-pronged objective. One, reserving all the remaining mineral-bearing areas (not leased to any private entity) in favour of its company, the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC). Two, making it mandatory for standalone iron ore miners to sell at least half their output to state-based industries. Three, restricting the area of a private lease at the time of renewal.

Administration says issues with villagers sorted out through dialogue, acquisition peaceful

Realising that the Land Acquisition Bill, already cleared by the Union Cabinet, would put land procurement for big-ticket industrial projects in a quandary, the Odisha government has resumed land acquisition for the showpiece Posco project at a frenzied pace. In November 2011, land acquisition for the mega steel project ground to a halt after clashes broke out over the construction of a coastal corridor. With land acquisition slated to turn challenging after the new Bill is passed (since it would need the consent of at least 80 per cent of the affected people), experts believe at this stage, the state government cannot afford to buy time.

State controlled PSUs in Odisha will apply for four new coal blocks- Chandrabila, Tentuloi, Sarapal-Nuapada and Kudanali-Luburi notified by the Ministry of Coal (MoC) under ‘auction by competitive bidding' of coal mining’.

The state government has decided that Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) will apply for Kudanali-Luburi coal block, with reserve of 396.1 million tonne, for mining purpose only.

Company, however, not keen on selling alumina to Vedanta as they are competitors, say Nalco sources

National Aluminium Company (Nalco), which has an exportable alumina surplus of nearly one million tonne per annum, stands to gain Rs 250 crore if it agrees to sell the intermediate product to its competitor - Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL). The business deal, though apparently lucrative, is not tempting enough for Nalco, which prefers to export the surplus alumina.