Odisha to get Rs 70,000 cr revenue from coal blocks: Goyal

Union Coal Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said that Odisha will get Rs 70,000 crore as 12 coal blocks in the state have already been allocated.

"Odisha will generate revenue of Rs 70,000 crore from 12 of its allocated coal blocks," he said at the 'Make in Odisha' conclave.

"Odisha's mining industry has the potential to transform the state into one with full employment to its people," he said.

Goyal, who is also Union Power Minister, also said that every village of Odisha would be electrified by May 2018.

"In last two years, out of the 3,474 villages (in the state), we have electrified 1,811 villages and the work of electrification in under progress in 1,172 villages," he said.

Stressing on the requirement of saving energy, Goyal said: "The government has distributed about 18 crore LED bulbs in the country, out of which 73,000 LED bulbs have been distributed in Odisha."

"If the people of the state adopt the LED bulbs, then the state can save a lot of energy energy every year," he added.

He also urged the people of the state to not only be the India's biggest mineral provider but also to be an exporter of finished goods.

"Right now we see, minerals being exported to other parts of the country from the state and the other countries, but I want that the finished quality goods to be exported from the state," Goyal said.

He also said that the Central government will support the initiative of the state government's 'Make in Odisha' campaign as it is directly parallel with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' theme.

--IANS

aks-cd/vd