BHUBANESWAR | Aug 04, 2015: In a delayed move, the Odisha government plans to approach the Centre for a review of the Posco project by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
State steel and mines minister Prafulla Mallick here on Monday said chief secretary (Gokul Chandra Pati) will soon write to Union mine secretary and the Prime Minister's Office for a review at the highest level. "If not the PM, the cabinet secretary should hold discussions with the company," he told reporters here.
Stating that he is optimistic, Mallick said the project's fate would be clear after the Centre's evaluation.
The state government's initiative comes a fortnight after the South Korean steelmaker decided to put the project on hold, sparking speculation about its imminent withdrawal. Posco CEO Kwon Oh Joon had said until Indian PM "offers better deals" it would not resume.
Amid increased uncertainty over the fate of the 12 million tonne per year project (which was later scaled down to 8 mtpa), several local residents recently started reconstructing their flattened betel vines in the proposed site in Jagatsinghpur district. The government filed FIRs against 18 villagers in Abhayachanapur police station last week.
Prolonged delay in land acquisition and dispute over iron ore reserves kept the project uncertain ever since the state government signed a MOU with it in June 2005.
Apart from the global steel market slump, the amended Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 2015, which ruled out preferential mining lease to the company, were hurdles added to the project taking off.
The BJP described the state government's latest move as too late. "The state government has already missed the bus by not acting for the past 10 years," said BJP spokesperson Suresh Pujari.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)