By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Steel and Mines and Works Minister Prafulla Mallick in a written reply in the State Assembly, said the State and District level Enforcement Squads, conducted 70 raids and detected 259 cases of illegal mining.
259 illegal mining and transportation cases have been reported while 32 vehicles were seized and around Rs 160 Lakhs fine collected, he said.
In the financial year 2020-21, the mining revenue was Rs 13,791 crore, while in 2021-22, the mining revenue was Rs 49,530 crore. So far this year, Rs 11.8 crore of revenue has been collected which is 21.78 per cent of the previous year, Minister Mallick said.
Minister Mallick said the auction process for 36 mineral blocks had been completed so far. The i3MS Application has been set up for mining and mapping based on 5T Initiatives. Soon, 15 major mines and 16 minor mineral blocks will be auctioned soon, the Minister added.
Notably, Odisha received the Rashtriya Khanij Vikas Puraskar first prize for the best-performing state in taking initiatives in the exploration, auction and operationalisation of mines. It carries a Rs 3 crore prize money. Odisha had received the second prize (Rs 2 crore cash) in Category II, in which MP stood first and Maharashtra came third.
The Minister Mallick, said, till now 51 Steel plants running with production capacity of 33.13MTPA. The Minister while briefing about Department, said, Rs 11,577 Lakh has been allotted for Programme expenditure while Rs 6.704.94 Lakhs for administrative expenditure.
Minister Mallick ruled out any scarcity of minerals in Odisha and made it clear that the State possesses huge mineral resources.
