Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick on Wednesday said that the Inter-Departmental Committee on Mines has recommended reopening of seven more mines in the State.
The Minister said the committee has recommended to the Government signing of additional lease deeds for these mines. The decision would be implemented after getting the nod of the Chief Minister, he added.
According to Mallick, seven out of the eight remaining mines would be reopened under the provisions of the amended Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015.
He said that basing on the recommendation of the State Steel and Mines Department, the Union Government approved 21 mines out of 29 and the approved mines have already signed their lease deeds. The State has earned `895 crore from these deals, he added.
Mallick said, “Out of the eight remaining mines, two have sought for time extension and we have allowed them two months’ time. The rest six have not applied for extension yet.”