The State Government on Saturday decided to finalise the policy framework for the ore linkage to the Steel and Manganese-based industries in the State within two months’ time.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level review meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra in the presence of the Union Steel Secretary G Mohan Kumar at the State Secretariat.
Sources said Mohapatra had asked the Steel Secretary G Srinivas to study the inter-ministerial committee report and finalise the modus operandi in raw material linkage to industries.
He also asked the State-owned OMC and other allottees to utilise all the allocated mines ensuring long-term raw material linkages to steel producing units. Mohapatra wanted that the best practices be adopted to maximize royalty earning from iron ore.
Representatives of as many as 16 public and private sector steel companies, including SAIl, RINl, NMDC, TATA Steel, Bhusan Steel ltd, JSPl, Essar Steel Holding ltd, Tata Steel ltd, Posco India Pvt ltd Monnet Ispat Energy ltd, Visa Steel ltd, Jindal Stainless ltd, were present at the meeting. They said their plants would face difficulties if raw material linkages problems are not shorted out in near future.
The Union Steel Secretary Mohan Kumar exuded hope that the State would contribute substantially in achievement of national target of 3,000 million tonne steel production. Various other issues, including forest clearances, renewal of mining leases, expansion of the SAIl units, e-auction of iron ore, were discussed.