Chief Minister Raman Singh on Monday asked National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) to recruit local youth of respective districts for its ongoing projects in Bastar Revenue Division.
Singh urged to recruit the locals on the vacancies of Grade III and Grade IV posts in the public sector undertaking, while having a meeting with NMDC’s CMD Narendra Kothari who called on the former to his official residence here.
The Chief Minister said that State Government has made provisions for local recruitment for Scheduled areas, which includes Bastar and Sarguja divisions and has also formed ‘District Cadre’ for the same. The NMDC should also adopt the same policy, Singh suggested.
He suggested Kothari to appoint a Nodal officer at district-level for each of the ongoing projects of NMDC, so that the Officer may co-ordinate with State Government to expedite the progress of projects.
During his meeting with the NMDC CMD, Singh also discussed about expediting the construction work of NMDC’s Nagarnar Steel Plant in Bastar district.
He said that Nagarnar Steel Plant was a dream project of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and its foundation was laid by the then Deputy Prime Minister lal Krishna Advani. And now, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this project is going to take the shape of reality.
The Chief Minister also suggested Kothari that alongwith its steel plant of 3 million production capacity, NMDC should also establish a Palletisation plant in Nagarnar.
Moreover, NMDC also has its proposals of hospital, school building and ITI building construction on hold. The MoUs between NMDC and State Government also include these proposals. It should should take quick action on these pending proposals, he said.
The Chief Minister informed Kothari that cast iron produced by iron-ore project in Bailadila area of Dantewada district should be supplied to the local Sponge Iron plants of Chhattisgarh in sufficient quantity.
Singh asked Kothari to organise a meeting of NMDC’s senior officials and Sponge Iron Industry owners from the private sector in Chhattisgarh so that the prevalent problems related to supply can be discussed and redressed.
The Chief Minister said that Union Minister of Steel and Mining Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Minister of State for Steel and Mining Vishnudev Sai both belong to Chhattisgarh State. Hence, their co-operation for progress of NMDC’s projects in Chhattisgarh is much expected.
The NMDC should also construct a railway over-bridge at Dantewada, he demanded.
The Chief Minister further said that construction of polytechnic building and building for DAV School in Dantewada is much needed. Moreover, keeping in view the transportation of iron-ore from Bailadila, NMDC should also come forward for construction of a railway over-bridge in Dantewada.
Singh also said that if NMDC takes the initiative to chalk out an action plan for construction of railway over-bridge, then State government will also make its contribution in the project. The Chief Minister also suggested Kothari to spend more amount of CSR funds on Nagarnar, Bacheli, Bailadila, Dantewada and surrounding areas in Bastar division.
He added that the CSR funds should be utilised for regional development and welfare schemes. On the occasion, Advisor to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh and Secretary Subodh Kumar Singh were also present.