BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government approved 15 key proposals during the State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday.
A new Long Term Linkage (LTL) policy of minerals for Odisha-based industries gets a nod through Odisha Mining Corporation Limited (OMC)--2023 to streamline the supply of raw material.
This will replace the policy promulgated in 2022 for long-term ore linkage to upcoming projects in the state. Briefing media persons, chief secretary Pradeep Jena said, “The new policy provides long-term raw material security for upcoming greenfield and brownfield projects to be set up in the state which is approved by state level single window clearance authority (SLSWCA), high-level clearance authority (HLCA) or any other competent authority.”
He said the allotment committee constituted under this policy will determine the allotment criteria, final allocation quantity, tenure and other terms and conditions. The parity in the existing pricing mechanism for fixation of floor prices for all the minerals governed under this policy is ensured by the new policy, he added. As many companies have come forward for the installation of mineral-based plants, the state government has laid down a procedure to provide long-term linkage for iron ore, chromite ore, bauxite, limestone and other minerals through OMC for a sustained supply of raw materials over a period of five years extendable to a further period of five years each.
Raw material availability to new projects assumes significance post-auction of all merchant mines whose lease tenure expired by March 2020. During the auction process, many merchant mining leases were taken over by captive plant owners, which resulted in a shortage of raw materials for steel in the open commercial market. This calls for a long-term linkage of raw materials till the new projects make alternative arrangements to meet their requirements.
Recommends proposal for inclusion of Saora language in the 8th schedule of Constitution of India
Communities speaking Saora are one of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG) in the state.
Inclusion of the language in the 8th schedule will help the preservation, promotion, and propagation of the Saora language and culture, Law Minister Jagannath Saraka told media persons after the Cabinet meeting.
Activities such as publication, creation of content and recognition will gain momentum while it will also create an eco-system to facilitate research and studies anchored around the language. More than than 5 lakh Saora-speaking indigenous people will benefit from the decision.
The cabinet decision will have no financial implications. Saoras are widely spread in all districts of Odisha and their major concentration is in Gajapati, Gunupur sub-division of Rayagada and in Bargarh district.