The Congress has alleged that both the BJD and the BJP are ignoring the State’s legitimate right of mineral royalty revision.
Former Minister of Finance Panchanan Kanungo in a statement said that while the BJD and the BJP are accusing each other over the issue of sale of unsold iron ore, they have allowed mining mafias to loot the State’s mineral resources.
Kanungo said the BJP, which has over a long time been raising the issue of mining corruption and mineral loots, has suddenly stopped talking about it and the BJD, which was for long accusing the Centre of not revising the coal and other minerals royalties, is maintaining a stoic silence after the Modi Government came to power.
“The State has lost at least Rs 12,000 crore during the last seven years as its royalties for mineral resources.
Since 2015, the Centre has further cut down 30% royalty from the State’s share of the District Mineral Fund (DMF) and diverted it for the benefit of new mine leaseholders,” Kanungo stated.
It is matter of great concern that the BJD has never protested against the Union Minister’s reply in Rajya Sabha that there would be no more revisions of mineral royalties.
The Congress leader also added that during the UPA Government in 2012, the cess levied on coal per every tonne was Rs 50; it has now increased to Rs 400. He questioned the where the cess worth crores of rupees is going. “Is it not looting the State’s money?” questioned Kanungo.