The CII Odisha State Council organised a seminar ‘Mining- The Way Forward’ here on Saturday. Union Mines Secretary Dr Anup Pujari attended it. The session deliberated on the way forward for promoting Odisha in the mining space. It also dedicated discussion on the recently launched Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (Amendment) Act, 2015 (MMDR Act 2015).
CII believes that the MMDR Act 2015 had certainly given the mining sector a much deserved boost, which was languishing for want of clear guidelines. Against this backdrop, the session focused on understanding the various opportunities and challenges relating to the announced MMDR Act 2015 and its implications for States. Among others Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati and State Steel and Mines Department Principal Secretary Raj Kumar Sharma also spoke. Sharma announced that the State Policy for Mineral Exploration should be ready by May 2015.