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Indian Express
25 minutes ago
- Indian Express
6-lane ring road in Odisha for Rs 8,307 crore gets Cabinet nod
The Union Cabinet Tuesday approved the construction of a 6-lane 111-km access-controlled ring road, also called Bhubaneswar Bypass, in Odisha. The project will be implemented on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), a variant of Public-Private partnership, at a cost of `8,307 crore. The 6-lane ring road will start from Tangi and end at Rameshwar on NH-16. It will bypass cities like Khordha, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, which see heavy traffic. NH-16 is part of the Golden Quadrilateral project and runs along the eastern coast connecting Kolkata and Chennai. Officials said since the NH passes through congested cities like Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, the ring road project was conceived to divert heavy commercial traffic away from these cities and enhance the efficiency of freight movement.


Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Burhanpur power loom cluster set for industry allotment in Sept
Indore: After significant delays, power loom cluster at Mohammadpura in Burhanpur district, is set to be allocated to industries from Sept. District Industries and Trade Centre (DIC) under the MSME department has completed development of the power loom cluster. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It has prepared to begin allocations next month. The project, initially scheduled for completion in 2023, was stalled due to a slow flow of funds. "The power loom cluster at Mohammadpura is ready and allotment of land to industries in the cluster is expected to be carried out in Sept. The procedure due to be completed before starting the allotment process has been initiated," said Atmaram Soni, general manager at Burhanpur DIC. The cluster comprises 64 industrial lands and spans approximately 7.6 hectare under the Micro and Small Enterprises - Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP), with an estimated development cost of Rs 12.9 crore. Under the scheme, the state will contribute 60 percent of the development cost, while the Centre will are the remaining 40 percent. "The estimated investment likely to be generated from industries for this cluster is more than Rs 100 crore. We are hoping for full and quick occupancy in this cluster because Burhanpur is a hub for power looms," Soni added. Burhanpur is known for its extensive network of looms, with nearly 40,000 power loom units operating from homes, small rooms, and unorganised workshops in the city. The cluster is expected to generate employment for close to 4000 people.


United News of India
38 minutes ago
- United News of India
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2025 gets Parliament's approval
New Delhi, Aug 19 (UNI) The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025, aimed at promoting exploration, mining, and processing of critical and rare minerals and liberalising the overall mining regulatory framework to attract investments, was passed by the Rajya Sabha today. With this, the Bill has received approval from both Houses of Parliament. After a reply by Union Minister for Mines G Kishan Reddy during the discussion in the Upper House, the Bill was passed by a voice vote without any amendments. The Lok Sabha had already passed it earlier. Amid Opposition uproar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar during Zero Hour, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned once in the morning. When the House reconvened at 2 pm, Congress and other Opposition parties again raised the issue, but Deputy Chairman Ghanshyam Tiwari did not allow it. Protesting the decision, Opposition members walked out of the House. Afterwards, Union Minister Reddy introduced the Bill and outlined its key objectives. During the debate, 19 members from various parties participated and supported the Bill while offering suggestions. In his reply, Reddy referred to the coal scam and the opacity, nepotism, and corruption that plagued the mining sector before 2014. He said the Modi government's reforms have restored public trust in the mining sector and led to economic benefits and significant transformation. Describing the mining sector as a source of prosperity and employment, Reddy said the Bill is inspired by the goal of harnessing its potential. He noted that due to reforms over the past decade, mining has grown rapidly, and states' revenues have increased tenfold. All proceeds from mineral premiums, royalties, and other levies go to the states. He emphasised that the central government works for the nation's development, not just revenue collection. He also highlighted that India's coal production has reached one billion tonnes annually for the first time, imports have declined, and foreign exchange has been saved. Thermal power plants now have a 27-day coal stock, up from the previous average of 10–17 days. The Prime Minister, he said, personally reviews daily reports on coal stock at power plants. "Our ministry is fully prepared to meet every state's coal demand," Reddy said. He added that India is currently 100% dependent on foreign countries for critical minerals. To reduce this dependency, the Modi government has launched a Rs 32,000 crore Critical Minerals Mission and established a new PSU called KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd). Reddy informed the House that KABIL, a joint venture of National Aluminium Company, Hindustan Copper Ltd, and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited, has secured five rare mineral blocks in Argentina, from which India will source lithium. In Zambia, India has obtained exploration rights over 9,000 sq km for critical minerals. Addressing criticism of the Prime Minister's foreign trips, Reddy said that during a recent tour of five countries, PM Modi held significant discussions on critical minerals in each nation. "We are working in mission mode in this sector," he added. R&D efforts have been launched, and 13 offshore blocks have been identified for auction. A dedicated division within the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has been created for critical mineral exploration, with responsibilities assigned across various states, including Jammu & Kashmir. He also stated that the government has finalised projects to reclaim 143 closed coal mines and is preparing to have the Rs 2 lakh crore spent from the District Mineral Fund audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). During the discussion, several members praised the Bill and offered inputs. BJP's Bheem Singh called the Bill a step to strengthen the regulatory framework for industrially and strategically significant deep-seated minerals. Milind Deora (Shiv Sena) said the Bill will allow Indian companies to invest in foreign rare mineral mines and boost domestic processing capacity, marking a step toward self-reliance in critical minerals. He also suggested encouraging green mining and recycling of old solar panels. NCP's Praful Patel urged the government to ease environmental regulations to prevent future bottlenecks. AIADMK's Thambi Durai raised concerns about illegal mining in Tamil Nadu and mentioned the arrest of a ruling party member in connection with unlawful activities. Tamil Manila Congress (M)'s GK Vasan also highlighted the issue of illegal sand mining in Tamil Nadu, which is harming the ecology and reducing state revenue. He said the groundwater level is falling due to negligence by the state government. YSR Congress's Ayodhya Rami Reddy Alla welcomed the easing of rules for deep-seated mining leases, saying it will improve investment efficiency and mineral supply. Biju Janata Dal's Manas Ranjan Mangaraj demanded higher mineral royalties for Odisha. BJP's Aditya Prasad alleged that coal smuggling under the Congress-supported government in Jharkhand has hurt legal sales and claimed that a youth activist opposing illegal mining was killed in a staged encounter. While some Opposition members had submitted notices for amendments, they were absent during the session. After the Bill was passed, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day to meet tomorrow at 11 am. UNI RBE SSP