Jharkhand demands hike in coal royalty

NEW DELHI - Jharkhand Governor M.O.H. Farook Saturday demanded a hike in coal royalty at a meeting here of the National Development Council (NDC), the country’s top policy forum.

“Jharkhand is losing approximately Rs.200 crore per year as revenue on coal because rates of royalty have not been completely fixed on ad-valorem basis. This needs to be looked into by the central government,” Farook said while addressing the meeting.

“The Jharkhand government is of the view that the National Mineral Policy should give priority to value adders in the state in grant of mineral concessions on the one hand and discourage export of iron ore on the other,” he added.

The governor also requested the central government to reduce the state’s share in eight railway projects.

“I request for reduction of the sharing pattern of the eight railway projects taken up in Jharkhand at the behest of the state government from 67:33 ratio to 50:50 cost sharing in conformity with the all-India pattern in the matter so as to release scarce resources of the state government to be utilised in other vital sectors,” he said.

Farook also requested the central government to include three more districts of Jharkhand — Ranchi, Khuti and Giridh — under integrated action plans mooted for Maoist-affected districts.

Jharkhand is currently under president’s rule.