Indian Express reported that Mr BK Handique Indian union minister of mines has taken a swipe at his steel counterpart Mr Virbhadra Singh saying his suggestion that the government club mines along with steel indicated Mr Singh’s bid to encroach upon another’s territory and almost sounded like illegal mining.
Mr Handique said referring to Mr Singh’s views that the government, in its wisdom, decides the work allocation. All ministries understand their limitations and work to their best abilities.
Mr Singh had said in the Idea Exchange program at The Indian Express on December 29th 2009 that “Ideally, the steel and mines ministries should be merged. This is my personal view. If not merged, at least the power to grant mining leases for iron ore and other minerals used by the steel industry should be transferred to the steel ministry.”
As of now, mining leases are granted by states but they have to secure the mines ministry’s prior approval. Since iron ore, manganese and chrome are used largely as inputs for the steel industry, Mr Singh suggested that the power to grant leases must vest with his ministry.
(Sourced from Indian Express)