Even as the State Government has been demanding an increased royalty on coal, the Union Government on Monday said upward revision of coal royalty is not under its consideration now.
“Increasing coal royalty is a national issue. It doesn’t concern to a particular State. If the royalty of coal is revised, it would push up the price of coal as well as power tariff,” said Union Coal Secretary Anil Swarup after meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat. It may be noted that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has written time and again to the Prime Minister as well as Coal Minister Piyush Goyal demanding increase in royalty on coal. Patnaik has also urged Finance Minister in this regard.
Swarup arrived here to review rehabilitation and resettlement of villagers ousted due to coal mining at different places.