Government of India has sent a proposal to Government of Odisha for reservation of one of the iron ore blocks of Malangtoli and Khandadhar in Keonjhar District, Odisha,  under Section 17(1A) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) in favour of  Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) vide letter  dated 19^th December, 2019.  Reminders were issued to State Government of Odisha vide letters dated  14^th August, 2020, 20^th  August, 2020, 7^th  January, 2021, 28^th  June, 2021 and 11^th  October, 2021.  No response has been received from Government of Odisha.   RINL has also requested various State Governments viz. Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhatisgarh for reservation of iron ore blocks under Section 17A of MMDR Act, 2015.  No captive iron ore mine has been allocated to RINL so far.  

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Shri Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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MG/PD/VL