With the State Government making arrangement for long-term linkage of iron ore for the industries through the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), the OMC has decided to enhance its production from various mines.
The OMC Board of Directors has decided to scale up production of iron ore from Daitari, Gandhamardan and Kurmitar iron ore mines in a big way.
A five-year plan for production of iron ore has been chalked out with a target of producing 21 million tonnes (MT) of iron ore by 2018-19, said sources in the OMC.
This will be a huge jump as the production of iron ore during 2013-14 was less than 2 MT, while in 2014-15 it has been targeted to produce 5.5 MT from the three major mines.
Similarly in 2015-16, the OMC eyes to produce 7.9 MT iron ore from Daitari, Gandhamardan B and Kurmitar iron ore mines by multiplying the capacity of these mines.
In 2016-17, production of iron ore by the OMC is set at 9.5 MT, while it will scale up to 15 MT by 2017-18 and 21 MT by 2018-19, said sources.
By 2018-19, the capacity of Daitari mines will be doubled. This year it has been targeted that Daitari will produce 3 MT of iron ore, which will scale up to 6 MT by 2018-19.
Similarly, Gandhamardan-B, which is set to produce 1 MT during current year, by 2018-19, it will produce 9 MT of iron ore. Kurmitar iron ore mine, which is targeted to produce 1.5 MT during 2014-15, will be producing 6 MT by 2018-19.
Of the total production 50 per cent saleable stock will be placed under the long term linkage for those steel plants with which the State Government has entered into pact. There are 49 such steel plants out of which 31 have started production, either fully or partially, said a senior official in Department of Steel and Mines.
The remaining 50 per cent saleable stock shall be sold through national e-auction to be conducted by the OMC at a suitable interval.