Odisha establishes separate directorate for minor minerals

Odisha government has set up a Directorate of Minor Minerals to prevent their illegal lifting, according to its notification released on Tuesday.

The gazette notification bearing the date of August 13, 2019 said that the new directorate with all necessary technical capacity will look after the scientific and sustainable management of the resources.

Among its main functions, the notification said, the directorate will identify source of minor minerals in a scientific manner and prepare mining and environmental management plans as per the applicable laws.

The directorate will function under the administrative control of revenue and disaster management department in view of augmenting the revenue of the state from these resources and will administrate the Odisha Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2016 as amended from time to time, it said.

The directorate will ensure prevention of illegal quarrying and lifting of minor minerals such as sand, ballasts, chips and gravel of ordinary stones, river shingles, pebbles and rock fines generated from stone crushers.

There will be a director in the rank of additional secretary, either an IAS or an OAS cadre officer.