Draft Mineral Policy Of Orissa To Be Readied In a Month.

Policy to focus on value addition, local area development

The Orissa government proposes to come out with a state specific ‘Mineral Policy’ in line with the National Mineral Policy of the Government of India (GoI).

The draft of the policy is expected to be readied within a month and it will be posted on the site of the state steel & mines department to invite objections and comments from various stakeholders.

“The state specific mineral policy will emphasize on value addition and peripheral development of the different areas in the state where mining activities are taken up. The state Chief Secretary will take a review meeting on the proposed Mineral Policy very soon and we expect the draft of the policy to be readied within a month.

“Thereafter, the draft policy will be posted on the website of the state steel & mines department so that different stakeholders can put forth their comments and objections,” a highly placed official source told Business Standard.

“Our view is that cases for recommendation of a particular mining lease should be made solely on the basis of merit. Preference needs to be given to those applicants who focus on value addition of the minerals and propose to set up end use plants offering employment opportunities to the locals who get affected by mining projects”, added the source.

Earlier, the Union ministry had given directions to different mineral bearing states to formulate state specific mining policies in line with the provisions of the National Mineral Policy of GoI. The status of state specific policies was reviewed by the Union mines secretary S Vijay Kumar at the meeting of the Central Empowered cum Coordination Committee held in New Delhi recently.

Mineral rich states like Karnataka and Goa have already come out with state specific mineral policies.

The state mineral policy is aimed at ensuring greater transparency and accountability in the mining sector. The policy is being formulated in the aftermath of allegations of large scale and rampant illegal mining activities in the state.

Out of 597 mining leases in the state, only 125 mines were presently operational as the state government had suspended operations of many mines that were operating without the necessary statutory clearances.

Source : sify.com