BHUBANESWAR: In a strategic move to boost Odisha’s primary economic engine, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has sought enhanced support from the Central government to accelerate mining-led growth, eliminate regulatory bottlenecks, and scale up infrastructure across the state.
The demands were formally placed before the Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, during a high-level bilateral meeting held at the Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar. The discussions focused heavily on streamlining statutory approvals, expanding logistics corridors, and driving sustainable socioeconomic development in mining-affected regions.
Highlighting Odisha’s Mineral Dominance
During the meeting, Chief Minister Majhi underscored Odisha’s indispensable role in India’s industrial landscape and mineral economy. He revealed that the state achieved a monumental milestone in the 2025–26 financial year, producing approximately 471 million tonnes of minerals and generating a staggering ₹46,000 crore in mining revenue.
“Odisha continues to lead the nation in mineral production,” CM Majhi stated, emphasizing that active, proactive backing from New Delhi is crucial to sustain this momentum and further optimize the sector’s contribution to the national GDP.
Key Demands and Regulatory Green Signals
To unlock the full potential of the state’s natural reserves, the Chief Minister urged the Union Ministry to fast-track pending forest and environmental clearances for several mineral blocks that have already been successfully auctioned.
Furthermore, Majhi made a strong pitch for the strategic reservation and allocation of major mineral assets in favor of the state-run Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC). Specifically, he requested the immediate allocation of the Sasubahumali Bauxite Block and the Thakurani Iron Ore Block to OMC to secure raw material availability for downstream industries.
Recognizing that logistics form the backbone of the mining industry, the CM pushed for the rapid upgrade and expansion of regional railway and port infrastructure. Accelerating these projects, he noted, would ensure seamless mineral evacuation, significantly reduce logistics overheads, and improve overall cost-efficiency.
Focus on Tech and Ecological Sustainability
Emphasizing modern and sustainable mining practices, the state government requested Central access to advanced mineral analysis technologies. This deployment aims to drastically enhance Odisha’s high-precision exploration and resource assessment capabilities.
Addressing pressing ecological concerns, CM Majhi also proposed the formulation of a comprehensive policy framework for the scientific backfilling of abandoned coal mines using fly ash—a move designed to offer an environmentally viable solution to industrial waste management.
Central Response: A Multi-Ministry Collaborative Approach
Responding positively to the state’s charter of demands, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy acknowledged that most bottlenecks in the mining ecosystem cannot be resolved in isolation. He noted that challenges concerning clearances, freight, and evacuation require synchronized action across various central departments, including Railways, Ports, Shipping, and MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change).
To achieve this, Reddy proposed a high-level joint convention involving all relevant Central ministries and top officials from the Odisha government to address and systematically resolve pending issues via an integrated approach.
‘CM Sampada’ and Saturation-Mode Welfare
The meeting also reviewed the operations of major Central mining PSUs active in the state, including Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), NLC India Limited, and the Singareni Collieries Company Limited.
A significant portion of the dialogue was dedicated to improving the living standards of local communities in mining-belt districts. Aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of delivering governance in “saturation mode,” both leaders agreed to seamlessly converge Central and State welfare initiatives.
The Chief Minister apprised the Union Minister of Odisha’s newly designed “CM Sampada” initiative. This dedicated state framework is engineered to pool resources from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) tranches, and budgetary schemes to ensure holistic, ground-level development in mineral-rich zones.
The meeting was attended by Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Union Mines Secretary, and senior bureaucrats alongside top executives from the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) and various public sector undertakings.
