Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday urged Union Environment and Forests Minister M Veerappa Moily to approve a detailed project report (DPR) for inclusive development of mineral bearing areas.
The DPR suggested that a portion of the funds collected as additional net profit value (NPV) be utilised for the inclusive development of mineral bearing areas through tribal welfare activities.
Patnaik in a letter to Moily expressed his regret that earlier his Ministry had rejected the State Government’s a proposal on the issue.
However, he said the State Government submitted the DPR for utilistion of 50 per cent of the additional NPV for inclusive development in mineral bearing areas on the recommendation of the Central Empowered Committee which has been accepted by the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Environment and Forests. He asked Moily to consider the proposal for the interest of the tribal people.
The Chief Minister informed Moily that the Ministry of Environment and Forests had also agreed to the constitution of the NPV for undertaking tribal welfare projects in a meeting of the committee held on May 25, 2010.