PARADIP: Even as the UPA Government had shown interest in expediting Posco steel project in Odisha, the State Government did not get similar cooperation from the NDA Government at the Centre, said Excise Minister Damodar Rout.
While interacting with Rekha Saxena, a professor from Delhi University who is here for a study on Posco in Paradip and Vedanta in Kalahandi, the Minister said Central apathy is the primary reason behind delay in Posco project in Paradip. The Minister told Saxena that the steel plant project has been delayed as the Centre refused to allot Khandadhar mines to the South Korean steel major outside the auction route mandated by the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015. The Mines Ministry has said that Khandadhar mines would be put up for auction under the new law.