The Odisha Government today extended the lease period of 26 mines and issued orders to the companies to execute supplementary lease deeds within three months, a top government official said today.

“The State Government has extended the lease period of 26 iron ore, manganese, limestone and dolomite mines as per the provision of the MMDR (Amendment) Act, 2015,” Odisha Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallick told reporters here.

Mallick said the lease period of 26 mines have been extended on the recommendation of the inter-departmental committee. Judgments of the Supreme Court and the Orissa High Court were also referred to while deciding to extend the lease period of the 26 mines.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had on Friday given his approval to the recommendations of the inter-departmental committee made at its meeting chaired by Development Commissioner U N Behera.

“The lessees have to obtain all statutory clearances before reopening of the mines”, steel and mines secretary R K Sharma said.

Stating that the 26 mines comprised eight captive mines and 18 non-captive mines, the minister said the lease period of eight captive mines was extended for 15 years, while the period of extension of non-captive mines is for five years.

The eight captive mines, which got extension till 2030, include seven mines owned by Tata Group (two of TISCO and five of Tata Steel) and one limestone mine of Bargarh Cement.

The other non-captive mines which got a lease period extension by five years are — Aryan Mining & Trading Corporation (two mines), Odisha Manganese & Minerals (P) Ltd (three mines), Bonai Industrial Company Ltd (two mines), Rungta Mines Ltd (two mines), Fee-grade & Co (P) Ltd, KJS Ahluwallia, Kaypee Enterprises, Kalinga Mining Corporation, Mideast Integrated Steel, K N Ram and Company, Vivek Lall (two mines) and Tata Steel.

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