By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Shri Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday said, that Odisha Government from 2019 to 2021, ignored as many as 6 reminders of Ministry of Steel seeking Malangtoli or Khandadhar Iron Ore Block in Keonjhar in Odisha under Section 17(1A) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) in favour of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd.
The Union Minister said, Government of India has sent a proposal to Government of Odisha for reservation of one of the iron ore blocks of Malangtoli and Khandadhar in Keonjhar District, Odisha, under Section 17(1A) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) in favour of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) vide letter dated 19th December, 2019.
Reminders were issued to State Government of Odisha vide letters dated 14th August, 2020, 20th August, 2020, 7th January, 2021, 28th June, 2021 and 11th October, 2021. No response has been received from Government of Odisha, he said.
The Minister said , RINL has also requested various State Governments viz. Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhatisgarh for reservation of iron ore blocks under Section 17A of MMDR Act, 2015. No captive iron ore mine has been allocated to RINL so far.
