Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has demanded the central government to include Chromite in the list of notified minerals. In the current MMDR (amendment) Ordinance, 2015 only Bauxite, Iron ore, Limestone and Manganese ore are included in the notified mineral category.
Odisha Steel & Mines Minister, Prafulla Mallick has pointed out that Chromite is a major mineral and it should be included in the list of notified minerals. The state government should also have the power to expand the list of notified minerals, taking into account local factors. Odisha accounts for nearly 98% of the country’s total chrome ore deposit.
According to Ordinance, for bulk minerals such as Iron ore, Limestone, Manganese and Bauxite, there will be no requirement for a prospective license and any gaps in the knowledge relating to such minerals will be filled by the state government agencies. Such minerals, which will be notified at a later date, account for nearly 85% of the country’s total mineral production. Whereas, for non-notified minerals, a combined prospecting-cum-mining license will be given via competitive bidding process. The successful bidder will conduct the exploration and prospecting work at their own risk and cost. The bidders will also have to pay either a production share or payment linked to the royalty.
Leave a Reply