BHUBANESWAR: The Centre on Monday announced that mining operations at Bisra Stone Lime Company Limited (BSLC), a subsidiary of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), will resume this month.
The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Union Minister of Steel Dharmendra Pradhan.
“BSLC was shut down due to cash crunch. The Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and RINL have agreed to provide trade advance and assured purchase of dolomite from the company for immediate resumption of its mining activities,” Pradhan said after the meeting.
Assuring that a long-term strategy will soon be worked out Pradhan said, “Today’s decision will ensure workers and vendors of BSLC are not affected. We will work on taking relevant measures for ensuring long-term revival and ceaseless operations in future.”
BSLC has been mining and marketing limestone and dolomite in Sundargarh district since 1910. It had to cease operations for the last few days due to cash crunch.
The matter was recently brought to the notice of Sundargarh MP and Biramitrapur MLA by the affected workers at BSLC. The issue was expeditiously taken up at the apex level.
Minister of State for Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste, senior officials of the Steel Ministry and PSUs were present in the meeting.