A day after the State Government warned of taking 'alternative steps' if mining companies fail to sign fresh agreements within 90 days, as many as 10 firms on Tuesday signed supplementary lease deeds with the Government, prompting an extreme possibility for the remaining firms to follow suit in the coming days.
Official sources said 10 mining leaseholders under the Koida circle of Sudargarh district signed the much required agreement with the Government. The State Government had extended lease period of 26 mines in the first phase on April 18 and later agreed to allow operations of three more iron ore and manganese mines which were stopped following a Supreme Court judgment last year.
Meanwhile, senior officials of the Mines Department held an hour-long meeting with mining leaseholders and representatives of industries to discuss the issues of supply of raw materials, especially iron ore, to industries within the state and determination of rates for its supply. The meeting discussed facilitating supply of raw materials to 49 industries with whom the State Government has signed MoUs and several other industries operating in the state without MoUs, said Mines Director Deepak Mohanty. The State Cabinet had earlier decided to supply iron ore to industries operating in the State through the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).