By Anurjay Dhal
RAJKANIKA/KENDRAPARA (ODISHA): With Mines owners and mineral exporters claiming huge lose due to COVID-19 Lockdown, but a report released by the Union Ministry , was on Wednesday said Mineral Production reported 10.0% high in February 2020 against February-April in 2019.
The Mines Ministry report which was released on Wednesday in New Delhi said, the index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of February, 2020 (Base: 2011-12=100) at 123.7, was 10.0% higher as compared to the level in the month of February, 2019. The cumulative growth for the period April- February, 2019-20 over the corresponding period of previous year has been (+) 1.9 percent. Mining & Mineral Statistics Division of Indian Bureau of Mines functions as the nodal agency for statistics on mineral sector and releases this information.
Production level of important minerals in February, 2020 were: Coal 780 lakh tonnes, Lignite 47 lakh tonnes, Natural gas (utilized) 2257 million cu. m., Petroleum (crude) 24 lakh tonnes, Bauxite 2190 thousand tonnes, Chromite 395 thousand tonnes, Copper conc. 5 thousand tonnes, Gold 162 kg, Iron ore 239 lakh tonnes, Lead conc. 32 thousand tonnes, Manganese ore 276 thousand tonnes, Zinc conc. 142 thousand tonnes, Apatite & Phosphorite 136 thousand tonnes, Limestone 327 lakh tonnes, Magnesite 11 thousand tonnes and Diamond 2720 carat.
The production of important minerals showing positive growth during February, 2020 over February, 2019 include: ‘Zinc conc.’ (33.2%), ‘Iron ore’ (31.3%), ‘Chromite’ (18.2%), ‘Lead conc.’ (14.2%), ‘Coal’ (11.7%), ‘Limestone’ (4.5%), ‘Manganese ore’ (3.3%), ‘Lignite’ (2.6%) and ‘Bauxite’ (1.3%). The production of other important minerals showing negative growth is: ‘Copper conc.’ [(-) 60.7%], ‘Gold’ [(-) 29.6%], ‘Natural gas (utilized)’ [(-) 9.6%], ‘Petroleum (crude)’ [(-) 6.4%] and ‘Phosphorite’ [(-) 1.8%].
If things are not acceptable, the Ministry of Mines and Mines Owners in Odisha are likely to face off in near future after the Ministry wrote to States that direct payment and stamp duty for auctioned mines be annualise in view of the coronavirus pandemic.Ministry of Mines has intimated this to Union Environment Ministry as well as Chief Secretaries of mineral bearing States like Odisha, where 20 of the 21 mines auctioned recently with high premium over 170 per cent. Ministry wants payment over the year instead of a single instalment of the net present value (NPV) for diversion of forests. If this implemented, mines owners will pay the taxes annually instead of one time.
Mining rights of some 20 auctioned mines to resources worth nearly Rs 5 lakh crore were won by Sanjjan Jindal’s JSW Steel, his brother Naveen Jindal led JSPL, Laxmi Mittal owned AM/NS (ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel JV), small players like Shayma Ores, Tarama Apartment, Foment, Kashiv Steel and Power Ltd, Sanatan Mahakud and others, who on an average have committed to pay an equal amount of their sale price to the state government. While Serajjudin Mines Group, KN Ram Mines of Atha Group and Ghanashyama Mishra and Sons have retained their running mines while big players Rungta Mines Group, KJS Ahluwalia Group and Essel Mining and Industries have jointly lost dozen over mines in the last concluding bidding. Jindal Brothers read Sajjan and Naveen played their cards.
