Mineral Minister Brijendra Pratap Singh has urged the Central Government to give permission to restart the Bunder Project and Panna NMDC mine in the state. Both these projects are pending for consideration before the committee of the Union Ministry of Forests as they are in the forest area.
With the coordinated efforts of the Union Ministry of Mines and Coal and the Union Forest Ministry, many issues in the mineral sector can be resolved.
Mineral Minister Singh was addressing the "National Mining Minister's Conclave" of the Union Ministry of Mines and Coal at Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi, Mineral Ministers of all States, Principal Secretaries of Mines and DMGs and DGMs of States attended the conference.
Mineral Minister Singh said that with the starting of Bunder Project and Panna NMDC mine, revenue of more than Rs. 23,000 crore will be generated. Thousands of people will get direct and indirect employment and many works of social welfare will also be done.
Mineral Minister Singh said that the NMDC mine was operational since 1968. After many years it was closed as it came under the national park area of the forest department. This is a vertical mine, so there is no damage to the forest area. Approval has been received from the Centre and the Forest Department of Madhya Pradesh to start it again.
The matter is pending before the Power Committee of the Centre. The NMDC mine can be restarted in coordination with the Union Ministry of Mines and Coal. Mineral Minister Singh said that the royalty of limestone also needs to be updated. If it is upgraded then the government will get more revenue.
Mineral Minister Singh thanked the Union Minister Joshi for accepting many demands related to the mineral sector. He said that the cases related to the restrictions imposed by the Central Forest Department in the mineral sector are being resolved in coordination with the Union Ministry of Mines.
He said that by having a conference, many problems are solved immediately. We will be able to work fast on the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi regarding mining.