BHUBANESWAR: Minister for Steel and Mines Raghunath Mohanty reiterated that ArcelorMittal has assured the State Government that the company will establish the proposed steel plant in Keonjhar district.
The differences between the steel and mines ministries on amending the existing MMDR Act simply refuse to die. This time the two are pitted against each other in a turf war on protecting the interests of the state-run behemoths in reserving mining areas for them in order to ensure a level-playing field.
Companies May Get To Exploit 100 Sq km Now
Subhash Narayan NEW DELHI
THE government is considering to increase maximum area for iron ore mining from 25 sq km to 100 sq km to ensure enough supply of raw materials to steel companies, an official in the steel ministry said requesting anonymity.
Mines Minister B K Handique today said that South Korean steel plant Posco, facing problems of land acquisition in Orissa, will be moving to a different place.
"Posco has told me that (it is) moving to a different place as (it is) facing problems in acquiring land," he said.
In respect of minerals (other than minor mineral, coal, lignite and sand for stowing), the Central Government revised the rates of Royalty and Dead Rent vide Official Gazette notification number GSR 574 (E) dated 13th August 2009 and GSR 575 (E) dated 13th August 2009 respectively.
Arguing that the current practice of granting mining leases on a first-come-first-serve basis is complicated, cumbersome and impedes value-addition, the Steel Ministry today made out a case for devising a new formula in the new version of the MMDR Act being drafted by the Mines Ministry to ensure captive mines to the
Lamenting that undue delays in allotting captive iron ore mines to steel companies were dissuading them from going full throttle on capacity expansion, the Steel Ministry has asked the Mines Ministry to adequately equip the empowered committee to accord prior approval for mineral concessions on behalf of the Central government.
BHUBANESWAR: Minister for Steel and Mines Raghunath Mohanty today admitted in the Assembly that there is illegal mining of iron and manganese ore in Keonjhar district.
This act is for the scientific development of mines and minerals under the control of the Union and the regulation of activities connected therewith. It extends to the whole of India.
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has appealed to the Union Ministry of Mines to immediately allot a mining lease to Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Limited in Sandur, Bellary, by invoking a provision under section 59 (2) of the Central Mining and Minerals Act.
