Bhubaneswar, June 8: Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited is soon going to be established by the Odisha Government, which will be the dedicated agency for mineral exploration in Odisha. In the 52nd Geological Programming Board Meeting held on June 7 in Bhubaneswar, the top officials of the state government have decided to conduct a consultation workshop for figuring out the various perspectives for setting up of the corporation. Notably, the state government had already given the permission for this proposed plan of setting up the same in January this year. Steel and Mines Secretary, R.K. Sharma, informed the media persons that the department is on with consultation with various departments and the government would soon make its decision as the modalities are jotted down. As per the provisions laid down in the MMDR Act, with the commission coming into being the G3 level mines identifies for auction would be shifted into the G2 category.
Apart from them officials of the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), Navratna PSU Nalco, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) and Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) were present in the meeting. The Commission, which would be a subsidiary company of the state-run OMC, would play an important role in granting operational clearance and extension of leases in accordance to the amended MMDR Act to mines.
