By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, November 8, 2019: The union government appears to be in no mood to raise coal royalty demand of Odisha and other states.

During a meeting with union coal minister, Prahland Joshi, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik once again reiterated the state’s demands for an increase in the rates of royalty saying that the state government should get a share from the cess collected on coal by the central government.

“CM Naveen Patnaik has given a representation to me on coal royalty revision. I have briefed the chief minister that it is linked to power tariff. It’s a larger policy decision since whatever decision is taken it will be applicable to the entire country,” Prahlad Joshi told media persons.

Prahlad Joshi also informed that they discussed increasing the production at Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL), land issues and law and order problems at the coal site which will be solved within a fortnight.

Responding to a media query on Odisha’s claim that the state exchequer has already lost Rs 10,000 crore on account of non-revision of royalty on minerals, Prahlad Joshi said, “Since past four years we have introduced District Mineral Fund [DMF] by which all state governments are getting 4.2 per cent, I have brought it to the notice of the Chief Minister.”

During the meeting, the state government requested to transfer a coal mine allocated to Odisha Mining Corporation (MOC) to Odisha Thermal Power Corporation Limited (OTPCL); on which Prahlad Joshi responded saying that he has requested the chief minister to send the proposal which will be considered positively.