BJD Rajya Sabha member pitches for revising coal royalty for Odisha

New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI) BJD Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra on Monday made a strong case for revision of coal royalty for Odisha, saying it is pending for 12 years and the state was annually losing Rs 10,000 crore.

Raising the demand for increase in coal royalty during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, Patra said Odisha is among the top two states in the country that produce maximum coal.

“However, it’s sad that despite its strong contribution to power generation, energy security and coal production, its rightful demand for coal revision of royalty has not been done for the last 12 years. Due to this Odisha is losing about Rs 10,000 crore per annum,” Patra said.

He said the rates of coal royalty for the state were last revised in May 2012.

Patra said over the last 12 years, Odisha has not been provided the rightful coal royalty revision, which is costing the state Rs 10,000 crore per annum.

“I’m not trying to make it a political issue. It is a governance issue. And it needs to be looked into because it’s a people’s issue and those who are suffering in Odisha,” the BJD MP said.

He said if Odisha starts getting the additional Rs 10,000 crore, it could be used for development of the state.

In his Zero Hour mention, Shaktisinh Gohil of Congress expressed concern over devastation caused by heavy rains in several parts of Gujarat.

Gohil said several people have lost their lives due to rains and crops have been severely damaged.

He said storm water drains were not cleaned before the arrival of monsoon and alleged large-scale corruption in it.

The Congress MP also pointed out that due to unauthorised construction, natural flow of water has been affected.

Gohil further said there is a provision of ‘rescue, relief and rehabilitation’ under Disaster Management Act, but none of the three is being implemented in the state.