Two mines, Sukinda chromite and Guali iron ore mines, are likely to be reserved in favour of the Odisha Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (OMECL), a State PSU.
Sources said senior officials of the Ministry of Mines and Steel and Mines Department are in constant touch with each other over the issue of reservation of mining blocks in favour of the OMECL.
Recently when Union Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi visited Odisha in November, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik raised several issues, including the reservation of mines in favour of the OMECL.
After Odisha visit, the Union Minister discussed with senior official of the Ministry of Mines and advised them to speed up the proposals of the State Government for which officials have now become proactive in this regard.
Validity of both the mineral blocks is expiring on March 31, 2020 and, unless Union Government reserves it for State PSU, the blocks would be put to auction, said an official.
Similarly, the Minister has advised the officials to prepare a comprehensive development plan for providing infrastructure and other facilities for amenities of the people living in coal mining areas of Angul, Jharsuguda and Sundaragrh.
The Minister’s move assumes significance as large tracts of areas, which are mined out, are usual left without any reclamation and rehabilitation.
Sources said a Joint Comprehensive Development Plan would be prepared for the mined out areas and reclamation and rehabilitation of these areas would be completed so that these areas are denotified and then handed over to the State Government.
The MCL would take up reclamation and rehabilitation of these areas, said officials.
A senior official said if any decision taken in the RPDAC meeting is not implemented by the MCL, Union Coal Secretary and State Chief Secretary would have a joint meeting to take a final decision in this regard.
However, the Centre is yet to agree to the State’s proposal of increasing coal royalty. Besides, the Centre yet to consider the State’s demanded for a share in the coal cess. The State has been placing this demand as it is facing the brunt of pollution due to coal mining.