Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik along with  Union Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday inaugurated the production work at Guali and Jilling-Langalota iron ore mines allotted to Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC). During the virtual event, the Chief Minister said that the production at these two mines would help stabilize the iron ore market and meet the supply and demand of the industry.

The CM  asserted that Odisha has always taken a number of steps in the mining sector. In this regard, i3MS has been launched to oversee the transportation of iron ore and the auction process of many large mines has been successfully completed in the last few years. Noting that Odisha has witnessed significant growth in the mining and metals industry over the past two decades, the Chief Minister said that Odisha has the potential to be an epicenter of the world in the steel, aluminum and other metal industries.

Industry-savvy measures in the state have encouraged investment. The Chief Minister also stressed the need for the State and Center to work together to realize the huge potential of the state in the mining and metal industries. The Chief Minister opined that the state government has always supported the reform of the mining sector and that it would benefit both the Center and the state.

Chief Minister Patnaik thanked Union Minister Joshi for allocating the two mines to the OMC and granting various approvals within a short period of time. The Chief Minister also thanked the OMC for taking urgent steps to make the two mines operational.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi said that Odisha is rich in mineral resources. Therefore, if the Center and the State work together, the economies of both the state and the country will prosper.

The two mines in Keonjhar district are targeted to produce 12 billion tonnes of iron ore annually. With the acquisition of these two new mines, OMC’s annual production is expected to reach 20 billion tonnes.

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