The Bisthapit Sachetan Samiti, a newly floated outfit led by Jharsuguda MLA Naba Kishore Das, will stage a massive demonstration on Monday at the Lower PMG here, demanding supply of adequate minerals locally explored to local industries in Jharsuguda-Sambalpur-Sundergarh region.
This was announced on Sunday at a media conference by Das, who is also convener of the organisation.
Prominent Left and Congress leaders have been invited to address the protest demonstration, Das told.
"Though both the Union and State Governments are busy extending red carpet to industrialists for local investments through programmes like Make In Odisha and Make In India programme but their policies are anti-industry. For this, many existing industries fail to get raw materials and facing shutdown," lamented Das.
Citing example of the Mahanadi Coal fields Limited (MCL), the senior Congress leader stated, "While MCL is producing 140 Million Tonne (MT) coal, a large chunk is being provided to industries outside the State. Though the total industrial requirements of coal in Odisha is only 76 MT, this cannot not assured resulting in closure of many plants."
He further added that Internal Power Plants, based out of Odisha are preferred over local Captive Power Plants so far as coal supply is concerned.
Das expressed concern over the continuous neglect of people of Jharsuguda - Sambalpur - Sundergarh region from where coal and other minerals are exported. The people of the region have had to bear the brunt of repeated displacements owing to mining and different other projects, including the Hirakud Dam, he said.
He also charged the MCL for neglecting the local people in terms of employment and CSE spending.
The organisation demanded to utilise the locally explored mineral resources for industries in Odisha, raise the CSR spending from 2 to 20 per cent and giving priority to the displaced people in employment etc.