No differences with WB on iron ore: Munda

Kolkata, Apr 12 (UNI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda said today that hardly any differences exit with West Bengal on the issue of iron ore supply.

He was talking to reporters on the margins of the 'Annual Regional meeting and session on Sustainable Growth in the East'.

Asked about the issue of importing iron ore from Jharkhand, Mr Munda said everything has been sorted out with the West Bengal government.

However, due to prolonged feud between the two states on the issue supply of iron ore, West Bengal Government, in spite of assuring land and other infrastructural facilities to Jindal Iron&Steel Company Ltd (JISCO), was deprived of the project.

Jindals had planned to set up a five-million-tonne-per-annum (MPTA) capacity integrated steel plant in the state.

This greenfield steel plant, if implemented, would have brought an investment of about Rs 12,000 crore in two phases.

The state government had identified over 3,000 acres of land near Kharagpur for the steel plant. But as the state did not have sufficient iron ore deposits, attempts were made to source iron ore from Jharkhand.

However, the project did not see the light of the day as Jharkhand governemnt backed out.

Confederation of Indian Industry has chalked out a road map of growth for the eastern states.

Speaking at the meeting here, Eastern Regional Chairman of the chamber Ravi Poddar said, ''The eastern states, including the NE, have tremendous growth potential. The east is the home to majority of India's mineral wealth. We should utilise that wealth.'' However, the states need to focus on infrastructure, education and law and order situation.

UNI JYN PL/SRC1631