Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallick on Friday said the State Government has so far collected Rs3,554 crore as mineral revenue for the current year. The mineral revenue collected in 2013-14 was Rs5,190 crore. The Minister said this while replying to a question of Member Chandra Sekhar Majhi and additional questions put be other members in the Assembly.
This year’s mineral revenue include Rs1804 crore from iron ore source, Rs107.80 crore from bauxite, Rs233.35 crore from chromites source and Rs9.81 cr from manganese source. The State has a total of 187 mines out of which only 40 are in working condition. Of these, 31 iron ore and manganese mines are operating without captive plants. Further 16 of 31 mines are working on Deemed Extension, the Minister said. No mines is operating without environment clearance, Mallick said.
When BJP member Pradip Purohit wanted to know mineral thefts had been occurred in the Roongta Mines and what has action been taken against officials responsible for the same, the Minister said, “The Government has received information that minerals have been theft from not within the mines area but from the railway stock site. Issues has been issued to concerned officials,” the Minister said.