BHUBANESWAR: Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik on Wednesday said the mining sector is on the track and the State met the national aspiration by conducting e-auction of mineral blocks in time despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participating in the National Metal and Mining E-Summit 2021, Mallik said the pandemic had its effect on the mining sector in the first phase.
The government initiatives helped the sector overcome the crisis and meet the raw material needs of the industries.
“We were able to conduct the auctions of mines during this period. The numerous changes made in the MMDR Act by the Centre made the works in the sector more conducive and user friendly,” he added.
Joining the metal and mining summit jointly organised by the Steel and Mines department and the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Director of Mines Debidutta Biswal said Odisha is one of the few states in the country which has online mineral monitoring system. Of the 24 auctioned mines, 19 lessees have started production and this is possible because of the digitisation of mining works, he added.