Assembly Session: Minister Admits Minor Minerals Smuggling In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty on Monday admitted in the State Assembly that there has been frequent smuggling of minor minerals from Odisha to the neighbouring states.

Replying to a question, he said that his department has identified 10 tehsil areas in the from where the minor minerals are being smuggled.

Stating that the government officials are being attacked by the smugglers when they try to resist them, Mohanty said, “To ensure that there would be no further instances of smuggling of minor minerals, the state government has decided to deploy100 Odisha Industrial Security Force (OISF) personnel in each of the 10 tehsils.”

The minister, while replying to another question, said the revenue collection this year has decreased by Rs 533.59 crore as compared to the last year.

“The state has collected revenue of 1,760.30 crore from minor minerals in 2017-18 as compared to Rs 2,293.89 crore in 2016-17,” he pointed out.

Members cutting across party lines also expressed grave concern over rampant smuggling of sand from the river banks.