Bhubaneswar:
The
Odisha government has rejected the miners request for relaxation on the stamp
duty order, under which the government had instructed the District Collectors
to collect stamp duty from the mines operating under deemed extension by 9th
of this month or take steps to close down mining operation.
The miners under
the banner of Eastern Zone Mining Association (EZMA) met the steel and mines
secretary Rajesh Verma and other senior officials on Friday and requested for a
relaxation on the issue. The miners have argued that the collection of stamp
duty is the prerogative of the Revenue Department and it has nothing to do with
the Mineral Production and linking it with mining will impact the mining
industry in the state. But, the steel and mines secretary Mr Verma has
reportedly rejected their request. However, he has assured them to have a
discussion with the Revenue secretary on the issue on Saturday. The miner's
body has also raised other issues like problems on intra-circle and intra-state
mineral transportation, problems on online return filling and on the issue of 50:50
sharing of minerals etc.
On the other
hand the representatives of the All Odisha Steel Federation have also met the
mining authorities regarding their several demands including the abolition of
mining trading licence and the Mining Dues Clearance Certificate (MDCC) for the
stand alone steel and sponge iron plants.
“We have raised our demands with the Steel and
Mines Secretary and other senior officials on Friday and the secretary has
given a positive view on our demands” said AOSF president P.L.Kandoi.
Reported by Tapan Moharana
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