Steel body slams Odisha govt for failure to enforce policy resolutions

Says the govt's attempts to implement policy measures have been futile for nearly six months

The All Odisha Steel Federation (AOSF), a body representing the interests of steel and sponge iron makers in the state, has slammed the steel & mines department for its failure to implement policy decisions that promised raw material security for indigenous units.

AOSF held that the government's attempts to implement the policy measures have been futile for nearly six months.

"The government's plan for e-auction of major bulk minerals has been deferred. Though the inter-ministerial committee was supposed to frame ore linkage policy by January 30, it has failed to do so. It appears that all the decisions have been scuttled at the behest of mining lessees", P L Kandoi, president, AOSF said in a letter to Rajesh Verma, principal secretary, steel & mines department.

To guarantee long-term raw material security for the local end-use industries, the state government though a notification dated September 18 last year, sought to reserve all balance mineral bearing areas in favour of its own mine PSU-Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).

Later, through another notification dated December 5 2012, the state government made it mandatory for mine lessees without end-use plants, to sell at least 50 per cent of their extracted iron ore to state based consuming industries.

But AOSF said the policy resolutions were only on paper, accusing the government of failing miserably in its attempts. The federation has reiterated its demand for making available raw material at fair prices.