State government set to issue fresh iron ore mining leases

The state government is issuing fresh iron ore mining leases, said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday.

Interacting with FKCCI (Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry) members at the FKCCI 97th AGM on Friday, he said the government has set in motion the process of allotting fresh mining leases after the Supreme Court allowed issual of fresh leases in its order in April 2013. He also said the government will renew leases which have expired. The move will help increase iron ore production and supply to steel mills. One lakh people will directly and five lakh people indirectly benefit from the move.
 The steel industry in Karnataka has faced acute shortage or iron ore in the last three years. The industry requires about 35 million tonnes of iron ore annually. He also assured the abolition of trade licenses under the new industrial policy for five years from 2014-2019, which the government is finalising, by studying policies followed in other states. 

‘Push corridors further’

Congress goup leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge called for development of industrial corridors between Doddaballapur-Chikkaballapur, Hubli-Dharwad, Chikkaballapur-Devanahalli, Mysore-Bangalore and the sector of  Gulbarga-Hyderabad.