Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader and Lawmaker from Bolangir Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said that previous BJD government has ensured the steel and mines industries to grow and support the state’s economy to grow.
While participating in the demand grand discussion for the Steel and Mines Department, Singh Deo said, the BJD government has made all required support, logistics and infrastructures available in the State for the industries to set up their plants here so that the state can get maximum benefit from it. Shri Singh Deo made a briliant presentation on Steel and Mines sector in Odisha.
During the BJD government’s tenure, the steel producing capacity of Odisha has been enhanced from 4 mtpa to 80 mtpa. More than 95 percent of the MoUs were signed to set up steel plants in the state during 2000 to 2024, he said.
It is widely known in the entire country that Odisha is a mineral rich State. But maximum of the mineral resources were taken out of the State for value addition as a result, Odisha had remained poor and other States were enjoying the crème, the BJD leader said.
After the Naveen Patnaik government came to power, the State has made it mandatory for the steel industries to come and set up their unit here to get mines from Odisha. Due to such effort, Odisha has now become a leading steel producing state in the entire country, he noted.
Neither any previous government has been able to do it nor the present BJP government has the vision to take it forward, Singh Deo said.
The senior MLA further said the BJD government has also set up proper infrastructures like ports at Dhamra, Gopalpur, railway tracks, and dedicated roads for the industries.
Now more than 40 percent of the steel and mines are produced from Odisha. Due to clean governance of Naveen Patnaik because of which such a large number of steel plants have come to Odisha, he added.
Along with long term linkages, the State Government in 2017 has implemented a national steel policy, auction of mines started. Odisha was the first state to adopt such practice in the entire country, Shri Singh Deo said.
The senior Lawmaker further said the Centre has not yet enhanced the coal royalty since 2014. The coal royalty still remained at 14 percent, even though the State has been demanding to enhance it for a long time.
Thanks to the BJD government for which crores of rupees are coming to the state through CSR route. The CSR funds were utilized to create hospitals, college infrastructure, skill development, livelihood support projects, road, and sports.
The present BJP government neither has a vision for development of the State nor is trying to learn it, he said while targeting the treasury bench members, who were creating a chaos in the House.
Present Chief Minister is coming from a mineral bearing district and he is very capable. But, there is a dual opinion within the BJP, which was proved from his statements on establishment of HC bench in Western Odisha.
The BJP government needs to harness the steel and mines for the socio economic development of the state and it needs to harness the industries, which have come here are able to prosper so that they can expand their base in the State, Shri Singh Deo hoped.
However, the BJD leader was surprised that the Government has nothing for the industries in its first budget presented very recently. The state needs a long term vision for the development of steel and mines industries so that the State can also compete with Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in this sector, he added.
Not only for domestic markets, the State should also need to remain prepared to compete with countries like Japan and China, which are moving at such a high speed, said the senior Lawmker having insight to the developments taking place around the world.