By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, October 11, 2015 : The Naveen Patnaik government finally okayed allowed renewal of the mining lease of Panchapatmali bauxite mines of the metal PSU major, National Aluminium Company Ltd [Nalco] after the company agreed to take up massive Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] activities in the State.
The renewal will be valid till March 31, 2020.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday allowed the first renewal of Panchpatmali (Central and North block) bauxite mine over an area of 1,313.363 hectares in Koraput district, officials said. Nalco is running open cast mining on the hills of Panchpatmali since 1985 to feed its alumina refinery at Damanjoidi.

Nalco completed mining at Panchpatmali mines for 30 years lease and then had applied for renewal of mines. Now with the Chief Minister’s clearance, Nalco will have a smooth sailing of its mines till 2020, said a senior official in the Department of Steel and Mines. Nalco will execute a Supplementary Lease deed agreement with the State Government soon in this regard.

As Nalco sought renewal of Panchapatmali mines, the state government asked the blue-chip Company to submit follow up action on commitments made on CSR, relief and rehabilitation (RR) activities. The State Government also asked to submit a status report on both CSR and RR activities, which the PSU presented to the Government.

Nalco in its RR activities report said that 32 out of 235 substantially affected persons having ITI and BA qualifications would be immediately considered for employment and they will be put on Skill Upgradation Practical Training (SUPT). After completion of training they will be placed as Junior Operator Trainees (JOT).
Fifty¬three out of 235 substantially affected persons having +10 qualification will be immediately sent to ITI training and the Nalco will bear the cost and after the completion of course they will be put to SUPT and after completion of training they will be put as JOT.

Thirty persons having Class VIII and IX qualification will be sent for Matriculation or ITI courses and cost will be borne by the company and later, they will be put as JOT after skill development training is over.

Remaining 120 persons, who are not having any qualifications, will be offered monetary compensationon of Rs 2.25 lakh to Rs 15 lakh as earlier agreed in lieu of employment. They will be also sent for Matriculation or ITI and when they complete during next 10 years, they will be given employment.

Besides, Nalco chairman cum managing director, Tapan Kumar Chand has committed to spend Rs 300 crore towards visible CSR projects in Damanjodi and Angul. So far as RR issues are concerned, Nalco agreed that the heads of mining and refinery based at Damanjodi will discuss with the Collector Koraput and accordingly necessary action will be taken.