Traders grabbing iron ore mining lease in Chhattisgarh: Jogi

Raipur, Feb 3 (UNI) Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi today alleged that the BJP government in Chhattisgarh has recommended grant of prospecting licences to those who were mainly in the business of iron ore trading.

Addressing a press conference here, he said a majority of those, who had secured iron ore prospecting licences, were extracting mineral resource and selling it outside the state.

''Raw material should be made available for value addition within the state,'' he said, adding that many of those who had got prospecting licence did not possess any industry.

Besides, small companies were allowed to exploit iron ore reserves, which was not proportionate to their actual production capacity.

Releasing a list showing details of iron ore prospecting licences applications forwarded to the Centre for approval, Mr Jogi said in such a situation no mining lease would be available whenever any genuine industrial group showed interest to set up their project within the state.

The former Chief Minister demanded that the state government must review the situation to cancel the prospecting licence granted to those groups and companies, who were just in the business of trading iron ore.

UNI