The Centre has deployed as many as four battalions of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) for ensuring security in the mineral-rich Rowghat area in Kanker district of Bastar in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The left Wing Extremism (lWE)-affected States have been sanctioned India Reserve (IR) battalions mainly to strengthen security apparatus at their level and also to enable the States to provide gainful employment to the youth, particularly in the lWE affected areas, they stated.
A total of 37 India Reserve (IR) battalions were sanctioned to 10 lWE affected States, of which 36 have been raised. Remaining 01 IR Bn in Jharkhand has been converted into Specialized India Reserve Battalion (SIRB).
In addition, the Government has sanctioned raising of 09 new SIRBs in the lWE States of Bihar (01), Chhattisgarh (02), Jharkhand (01), Madhya Pradesh (01), Odisha (03) and West Bengal (01).
Notably, nearly 23.24 per cent of the country’s iron-ore reserves are situated in Chhattisgarh, and a major part of this reserve is found in Bailadila (Dantewada) and Rowghat.
This is the reason why there has been a prolonged demand since more than 50 years to establish a steel plant in this region of Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
Keeping in view this long-pending demand, NMDC ltd has started construction of Steel Plant in Nagarnar area of Jagdalpur, which is underway at an expedited pace.
Notably, the Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) the highest profit making unit of Steel Authority of India limited (SAIl) had been working tirelessly to improve the lives of people in Rowghat region of Kanker district.
Notably iron ore mines in Rowghat have been allocated for BSP and the development works being carried out here is the part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
All the 22 villages falling under the Rowghat region are tribal dominated. Here BSP is carrying out developmental works in the field of education, health, sports and culture. large numbers of tribal people are taking benefits of these works.
In the education sector every year BSP adopts 30 tribal children and provide them free of cost education from class 6thtill 12th in schools located in Dalli Rajhara. The children here are provided with hostel, food, dresses and sports facility free of charge.
For the past more than 5 years BSP has been organizing ‘Khel Mela’ in Narayanpur in which about 2,500 students coming from far-flung region of Narayanpur, Antagarh and Abujhmad take part. Recently a football match was also organized in Narayanpur. For conducting sports activities Rs 45 lakh were spent during year 2013-14.
The Directorate of Geology & Mining in Chhattisgarh is also in the process of carrying out iron ore exploration in the notified areas of Kanker and Narayanpur districts of Bastar division.
The exploration target is for the 12th plan period (2012-17) and is being carried out in Rowghat and 10 other localities, officials stated.
The Chhattisgarh government had targetted to carry out survey and mapping for 1,000 square kms of State’s area during 2015-16 for geological exploration during the 12th five year plan ( 2012-17).
The minerals to be explored as bauxite, limestone, iron ore, coal, dolomite, manganese and granite, officials stated.
The Directorate of Geology & Mining is the State agency engaged in exploration of mineral resources as well as minerals development and regulation work in Chhattisgarh.
The Directorate has the facility of remote sensing, cartography,survey, drilling and petrological techniques for geological investigations supported by the chemical laboratory (conventional and instrumental techniques of analyses) to assess the mineral resources. The mineral exploration works are being carried out through three Regional Offices, Raipur, Bilaspur and Jagdalpur, they stated.
The grant of mineral concession, collection of revenueand regulation of mineral concessions are being carried out through District Offices under the control of Collector, district concerned.
The Directorate also provides technical and legal advice, related with grant and regulation of mineral concession to the State Government.
A meeting of Cabinet Committee on Investment-Project Monitoring Group chaired by Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand was held in June this year.
Secretary, Industry and Commerce Department Subodh Singh had informed in the meeting that the work of Dallirajhara-Rowghat Rail line project had been progressing at a fast pace.
He had stated that the work of 17 kms of Railway track laying in the Dallirajhara-Daundi had already been achieved.
The Chief Secretary during the meeting had also inquired about the progress of the steel plant being established by NMDC ltd at Nagarnar in Bastar district besides other projects.