Odisha Presents Reform-Led Mineral Governance Roadmap at National Meet
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena on Friday presented the reform-oriented roadmap for mineral management in the state at the National Mineral Chintan Shivir-2026, a high-level policy meeting organized by the Union Ministry of Mines at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The two-day event brought together key stakeholders from across the country, including Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister CR Patil, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha along with state ministers, senior bureaucrats, policy makers and experts from the mining and metals sector.
Speaking at the meeting, Jena outlined Odisha’s recent policy interventions aimed at strengthening transparency, curbing illegal mining and ensuring efficient and sustainable use of mineral resources. He highlighted the implementation of Odisha Mineral Policy and Transparency System (OMPTS)-2025 and the revised Odisha Minor Mineral Concession (OMMC) Rules-2025 and termed them as “landmark reforms” that have significantly improved regulatory oversight, accountability and ease of doing business in the mining sector.
Since assuming office, the state government has successfully auctioned eight major mining blocks, strengthening investors’ confidence and accelerating responsible mining development, the minister said. Notices Inviting Tender (NITs) have also been issued for 12 additional major mining blocks, underlining Odisha’s commitment to a transparent, time-bound and rules-based mineral allocation framework.
Placing Odisha’s experience in a national context, Jena made a number of forward-looking policy recommendations to the Center and the assembled states. These include rationalizing taxes on iron ore powders to address economic inefficiencies and promote optimal resource use; introducing incentive mechanisms to encourage tenants to achieve higher production on time and within approved capacities; and strengthening state public sector enterprises through increased allocation of mining blocks to ensure the supply of raw materials to small and downstream industries.
He emphasized that strengthening state PSUs and encouraging value addition will not only stabilize supply chains but also create employment and support regional industrialization.
Jena’s accession reaffirmed Odisha’s position as a pillar of India’s mineral ecosystem, contributing a significant share of the country’s iron ore, chromite and bauxite production. He said the state’s reform agenda was closely aligned with the national vision. Viksit Bharat 2047with an emphasis on transparent, technology-driven and environmentally sustainable mining practices.
