By Our Correspondent in Bhubaneswar, February 13, 2015 :

Odisha’s mineral revenue earnings in the current financial year is expected to substantially come down in the wake of multi-billion rupee mining scam and slump in industrial activities.

The state so far has collected Rs 3, 554 crore as mineral revenue for the current FY, according to steel and mines minister Prafulla Kumar Mallick. The mineral revenue collected in 2013-14 was Rs 5,190 crore.

Replying to a question from legislator Chandra Sekhar Majhi and additional questions put up by other members in the Assembly, the minister said on Friday that this year’s mineral revenue include Rs 1804 crore from iron ore, Rs 107.80 crore from bauxite, Rs 233.35 crore from chromites and  Rs 9.81 crore from manganese.

The State has a total of 187 mines out of which only 40 are in working conditions. Of these, 31 iron ore and manganese mines are operating without captive plants. Further 16 of 31 mines are working on deemed extension, the minister said. No mine is operating without environment clearance, Mallick said.

When BJP member Pradip Purohit wanted to know whether minerals had been stolen from the Roongta owned mines and the action been taken against erring officials, the minister said, “The government has received information that minerals have been stolen from not within the mines area but from the railway stock site. Orders have been issued to concerned officials to take action,” the minister said.