Odisha loses Rs 5 crore per day owing to nonpayment of mining royalty by the Central Government since August 2012, said Trade Union leader Mayadhar Nayak at a Press meet here.
Notably, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has raised the issue during his first meeting with Chief Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.Citing statistical data, Nayak put the figure of outstanding mining royalty dues on the Centre at Rs 3,587 crore. “How long will Odisha keep on waiting for its dues when the files are gathering dusts in the Central SecretariatIJ” asked Nayak.
States like Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, Karnataka and Rajasthan have been demanding for enhancement of royalty but the last UPA Government at Centre did not pay any heed to it. Citing the example of West Bengal which is levying 25 per cent State tax on coal as against 10 to 14 per cent in Odisha, Nayak said the difference of 15 per cent is huge in terms of loss incurred by Odisha.
Continuing with his charge, Nayak said that the developing nations having mines and minerals are collecting a lion’s share from the profit, but are unwilling to share the dividends in proportionate measure to their constituent States.Nayak called upon all political parties and masses to sink their differences and work in tandem with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who has taken up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently at New Delhi.
Nayak urged Modi to hold immediate consultation with the Finance Minister and take urgent step towards payment of the long standing mining dues without further delay. He warned of moving the Supreme Court if the Centre continues to neglect the issue.