BHUBANESWAR: In a major boost to sustainable agriculture technology for soil management, the Agriculture Department has proposed to establish 20 new soil testing laboratories in the State. There are 11 such labs at present. Separately, the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) has also decided to set up another 20 soil testing laboratories in its Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) under the 12th plan.

South Korean ambassador to India Kim Joong-Keun today said that steelmaker Posco can scale down its proposed 12 million tonne steel plant in Jagatsinghpur district if it gets less amount of land than it required. Keun who met chief minister Naveen Patnaik, said Posco was eager to start work on the project by second half of this year. He said Posco can start work even if it has not got the assured land of 3719.22 acre needed for the project. “We just need 700 acres more to start work. If needed we can scale down the project,” he said.

SUNDARGARH:The much-awaited coal corridor proposal of the Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) to free a vast rural population from the hazards of dust pollution is not moving on the expected lines. The coal transportation through these corridors will be easy and is expected to reduce dust pollution.

Sources said after intense public pressure it was decided that MCL would lay 33-km four-lane stretch exclusively for transportation of coal from its mines.

The Centre and Orissa government find themselves on a war footing as the Centre holds the state responsible for stepping on its toes by determining royalty rates of iron ore. Acknowledging complaints from steel producers that the state is executing a royalty regime which is in contravention to the Mineral Concession Rules (MCR), the mines ministry has demanded an immediate clarification from the state and directed it to expressly abolish the system.

Nalco chairman B L Bagra says the proposed plant will be executed in phases

State-owned Nalco is looking to set up a new aluminium smelting facility of 5 lakh tonnes and 1,250 MW captive power plant in Odisha's Sundargarh district at an investment of Rs 18,000 crore, a top company official said.

BHUBANESWAR: A joint official team from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and the Power Finance Corporation (PFC) will visit the State next week scouting for sites for establishment of two more ultra mega power projects (UMPPs). The Centre has given in principle approval for three ultra mega power projects for the State. While bidding for the first UMPP at Bedabahal in Sundargarh district is underway, the Central team is likely to visit a few sites for the other two projects in Bhadrak and Balangir districts.

Orissa is set to get power allocation of up to 50 per cent from the second and third Ultra Mega Power Plants (UMPPs) proposed in the state, Union minister for power Sushilkumar Shinde said here.

The minister, however, ruled out possibility of allocation of 50 per cent power for the state from the first UMPP to be established at Bhedabahal in Sundergarh district, the bidding process for which has already begun. The state is poised to get 1300 MW from this UMPP and had demanded that its share be raised to 2000 MW.

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government had to lose Central assistance of ` 190.72 crore during 2005 to 2011 because of low spending of available scheme funds by the implementing agencies. According to the latest CAG report, scrutiny of records of seven district rural development agencies (DRDAs), Balasore, Cuttack, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nuapada, Sundargarh and Puri and information collected from panchayatiraj department revealed that the Centre curtailed assistance of ` 168 crore under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) scheme.

ROURKELA: Notwithstanding police crackdown on illegal mining at the Koida mining sector of Sundargarh district, plundering of mineral resources could not be stopped given the soft penal provisions. The arrest of 10 persons with five trucks loaded with stolen iron ore on Tuesday only highlights the fact that mineral thieves are determined to make a killing. Mining industry sources said given the lucrative monetary prospects the illegal trade offers, a few days of imprisonment is not a deterrent.

Bhubaneswar: In a move to ensure inclusive growth of minerals-bearing areas of Odisha including livelihood programmes, experts have suggested floating of a micro-enterprise fund with Rs 200 crore to the state government. This fund would be utilised to ensure the tribal population’s access to credit and grants for setting new businesses as part of their alternative livelihood options.