Even as Justice M B Shah Commission of Inquiry probing the illegal mining activities in the State is working out a CSR (corporate social responsibility) plan for the miners for undertaking socio-economic development in the backward but mineral-rich Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts, the State Government is contemplating to collect additional fund from miners operating in scheduled areas for development of tribals.
The State Government will bring in a new regulation to enable the district administration to collect funds from the mine owners operating in scheduled areas, official sources said. The funds to be collected will be equivalent to the royalty paid on extracted minerals, the sources said.
The State Government had been planning to formulate a set of guidelines for periphery development since 2010.
However, the delay in formulation of the proposed guidelines was due to a case pending in the High Court over the percentage of profit to be paid by the companies for periphery development.
A Government direction to mine owners for their contribution to district peripheral development committee was challenged in the High Court by a private mining company.
The peripheral development committees are almost defunct in many districts. The State Government had earlier decided to create a fund for all-round development of villages around the industries.
The backwardness of villages near industries based on mining was the focus with the Chief Minister underscoring the need for their comprehensive development.
The Shah Commission, which heard the CSR proposals of the miners at its Ahmedabad office, had said that it will work out details of the constitution and operation of the proposed trust for undertaking CSR activities in the mining areas, which have been so far neglected.
The CSR plan submitted by a few miners proposes to fulfil the basic needs of the people of Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts by contributing 5 per cent of their net profit.
Besides environment, the CSR activities will focus on health, education, clean energy, roads and other infrastructure development, support to agriculture sector, and establishment of special care and support setup for old-age homes and children homes.
Since health service is a primary concern for the people of the two districts, the miners had proposed to set up a multi-speciality hospital, which will cater to the needs of the poor and will provide best health services free of cost.
NEW REGULATION
■ Besides environment, the CSR activities will focus on health, education, clean energy, roads and other infrastructure development, support to agriculture sector, and establishment of special care and support setup for old-age homes and children homes
■ The State Government will bring in a new regulation to enable the district administration to collect funds from the mine owners operating in scheduled areas
■ The funds to be collected will be equivalent to the royalty paid on extracted minerals
■ The State Government had earlier decided to create a fund for all-round development of villages around the industries
■ The CSR plan submitted by a few miners proposes to fulfil the basic needs of the people of Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts by contributing 5 per cent of their net profit