Odisha government plans to conduct e-auction of iron ore in the state after studying the same in Karnataka. For this purpose, two officials from Odisha steel and mines department and one from CSM technology would visit Karnataka and study iron ore e auction patterns, modalities and challenges in the state.
Following a Supreme Court order in 2011, e-auction of minerals is being conducted in Karnataka and this inspired Odisha government to start similar auction.
The apex court, after banning the mining activities in the Karnataka, had allowed e-auction of stacked minerals under supervision of a monitoring committee.
But since such order was valid only for Karnataka, Odisha miners objected to the state government plan and stalled the move.
The Odisha government will conduct e-auction after bringing all private miners on board. But some officials feel that the state-run Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) could begin e-auction of its own iron ore from October.
OMC, which controls about a tenth of 60 million tonne iron ore trade of the state, currently sells high grade iron ore at a price decided every quarter. It has already started e auction of chrome ore, in which it has near monopoly.
After examining e-auction in Karnataka, the officials would submit a report to Odisha government. CSM technology is the IT arm of the steel and mines department and helps maintaining daily mineral transaction data on website orissaminerals.gov.in.
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