CPI(M) blames UPA's policies for illegal mining in Odisha

Blaming the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for the multi-crore illegal mining in Odisha, CPI(M) today made an effort to bail out the ruling BJD in the state.
"The Shah Commission has inquired into the illegal mining in the state and found irregularities in the extraction of mineral resources," CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters here.
"Illegal mining is happening all over the country, be it Goa, Jharkhand or Karnataka. Let the report come out, we will make our stand clear," he said when asked on the illegal mining of iron and manganese ores in Odisha.
Karat said that the scam happened because of the wrong policies of the central government which issued indiscriminate licenses to mine companies.

He alleged that the policies were made to benefit the corporates in the name of progress and growth.
"The neo-liberal economic policies of the central government allowed loot of precious minerals," he alleged.