(Image source from: Decision pending})

The government has again delayed a decision on permitting POSCO to mine iron ore, seeking more clarifications from Odisha where the South Korean company has waited nine years to set up a $12 billion steel plant.

The company has yet to start work on the planned 12-million-tonnes-a-year plant due to stiff opposition to land acquisition and delays in securing permission to mine iron ore, a raw material for steel.

The Mines Ministry last week wrote to Odisha seeking clarity on how much of the mining land sought by POSCO was notified as an iron ore bearing area where commercial mining was allowed. Mining in non-notified areas needs more approvals than in notified areas.
 
They have not completely rejected. Our proposal was for both notified and non-notified area together," Odisha's Mines Director Deepak Kumar Mohanty told on Friday.

POSCO officials have said it was unlikely to build the plant without assured supply of iron ore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited domestic and international companies to "Make in India". But one of his senior colleagues, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram who hails from Odisha, has said he would continue his long-standing opposition to POSCO's plant.

Aw : Arun kumar