By Our Correspondent
JODA/KOIRA/SUNKINDA/BHUBANESWAR: The proposed move of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to use the funds deposited at District Mineral Foundation Funds of Rs 9000 crore and Rs 17,000 crore deposited at RBI account of Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) and the Compensatory Afforestation (CAMPA), for COVID-19 relief and restoration works, has not gone well with locals of mineral bearing districts like Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Jajpur. The State has so far till Friday reported 142 positive cases from which, 41 have been cured and 1 died so far.
The Union Government has asked States to use 30% of total amount deposited at DMF funds (Rs 9000 crore) while Odisha demanding to use 60% of it. The State Government is likely to withdraw around Rs 12,000 crore from these two accounts of OMBADC, CAMPA out of Rs 17,000 crore at RBI. The Rs 17,000 crore fund was born when the Supreme Court on August 2, 2017 levied a compensation charge on miners for violations of environmental laws. The state was directed to spend the funds in districts affected by mining activities.
It may be noted here that, Odisha collects highest revenue from mineral rich Keonjhar district but the locals facing tough time with mine owners, State Government and industrial houses are not paying any head to them.Sources said Keonjhar DMF funds till January this year stands at Rs 4,130 crore while Anugul, Jajpur, .Jharsguda, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Koraput, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh, which comes under OMBADC, CAMPA.
BJP Sadar MLA Mohan Majhi, who is also one of Trustees of the Keonjhar DMF said that the State Government had already taken 30 percent of DMF fund after the approval of the PMO to fight against the Covid 19. He said he would strongly oppose any further move to withdraw more amount from the corpus fund of DMF, OMBADC and CAMPA.
