odisha allows ex-producers to sell stockpiled output

摘要

Odisha state in east India is allowing former owners of auctioned merchant mines to continue shipments of previously mined minerals for six months from 31 March, to prevent supplies being affected by the country's current coronavirusrelated lockdown. There were 288 merchant mine leases that lapsed on 31 March 2020 under a 2015 amendment mandating the auction of mineral resources. The Odisha state government auctioned off iron, chrome and manganese ore mines in advance of the lease expiries to ensure that from 1 April new lease holders could resume mining at the mines. Odisha accounts for about 90pc of chrome ore deposits in India and is its main chrome ore producing state. India's 21-day lock down from 25 March and the resulting restrictions on workers has cast doubt on stable supplies from the mines.