Odisha Mora, Khani Mora: Campaign by Dr. Jatish Mohanty

Oct 24, 2006

‘Amend mining laws, fight poverty’

Tuesday October 24 2006 11:14 IST

BHUBANESWAR: Suitable amendments should be made to the mining laws to help fight poverty in the State, said former Andhra Pradesh-cadre IAS officer Jatish Chandra Mohanty.

Mohanty took voluntary retirement recently to work for poverty eradication in his home State Orissa.

With the current level of production, he reckoned, if mine lease holders are mandated to share 50 percent of their profit with the State Government, Orissa would get an additional revenue of about Rs 4,400 crore per annum.
The fund can be utilised in building rural infrastructure and providing livelihood avenues for the poor.

Addressing media persons here on Monday Mohanty said, ‘Mo samruddha Odisha’ campaign would be launched in the State soon and aims at complete eradication of poverty and improving the financial condition of its people.

Stating that the interests of local people are being overlooked by the Government while granting mining leases, he sought formulation of a mechanism where tribals can get five percent of the net profit of the company.

To this effect, he called for constitution of a mineral board and an expert committee to decide the cost and profit as per global market mechanism.
The Government, he said, should have overriding control over all kinds of minerals, excluding the strategic ones.

On raising the socio-economic status of the poor, Mohanty advocated an integral approach that would touch on all aspects of development and ensuring optimum utilisation of the available resources.

Retired IG of police B K Tripathy, former vice-chancellor of OUAT Iswar Mohapatra and former managing director of Orissa Mining Corporation B K Mohanty among others have pledged support to Mohanty.