By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/NEW DELHI: BJD Lok Sabha MP from Dhenkanal, Mahesh Sahu has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to intervene , so that the Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited, which was stopped functioning in Odisha’s chrome rich and industrial belt of Jajpur, resume production by merging with SAIL,RINL and NMDC, all CPSE of Union Steel Ministry.
“MMTC the major promoter of NINL while making desperate efforts to come out of their pauper ship is not keen for improving the ambience in NINL plant, hence it will be the best interest of the Government and NINL , to keep MMTC secluded from the process of decision making and entrust the same with NMDC and to allow any leading steel sectors having core competency like SAIL, RINL and NMDC to retain NINL as a going concern like captive mines operation started with assistance of NMDC,” the BJD MP Sahu argued in his letter to PM.
“The largest producer of pig iron now almost in the verge of closer afetr the CCEA approved the disinvestment dated 08-010-2020 now NINL is under ininvestment process carried out by DIPAM under Ministry of Finance,” MP Sahu wrote in his letter.
“1000 direct employees and workers and around 4000 people indirectly are depedendent on NINL and 3500 contractual employees lost thier jobs in COVID-19 Pandemic and employees salary and arrears due from March 2020 while 17 have NINL emplyees lost life due to non payment of salary, want of medical facility, “he added.
The BJD Lok Sabha MP further said his letter that in order to provide relief to the employees of NINL, Mines Ministry on 09-03-2021 granted permission to sale 50% iron ore of production capacity of captive mines for release of salary and wages and on 27-08-2021, NINL has resumed operation with technical and financial help from NMDC.
It may be noted here that the NINL has scheduled an e-auction for 4,000 tonnes of iron ore lump (Fe: 62-65%, 10-40 mm) from its captive mine in Odisha’s Koira mining circle. The auction is scheduled for November 12 and the base price has been set at INR 7,800/tonnes, including royalty. NINL has been granted permission to sell 2 Million Tonnes of iron ore in the merchant market over a period of two years. The operations of NINL iron ore mines at Mithirda mine block is going on.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had given its in-principle approval for the strategic disinvestment of equity shareholding of MMTC (49.78%), NMDC (10.10%), MECON (0.68%), BHEL (0.68%), IPICOL (12.00%) and The Orissa Mining Company Ltd (20.47%) in NINL.
