Govt not to spare anyone involved in mining scam: Naveen

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said the government would not spare anyone involved in the theft of the minerals and illegal mining.

Replying to the discussion on the Governor's address to the state Assembly, Mr Patnaik alleged that the Opposition had been crying hoarse about the mining scam. ''I need not point out how many of their partymen hold mining leases,'' he added.

The chief minister said his government had come down heavily on the illegal mining and theft of minerals. As many as 782 cases had been detected during 2009-2010, involving 217 lakh tonnes of ore minerals.

The state vigilance had so far filed 11 cases and arrested nine persons, including eight government officials, involved in the illegal mining activities.

Eight officials of the Directorate of Mines and two forest officials have been place under suspension.

This apart the district police had apprehended persons involved in the theft of minerals and arrested seven people, two of whom had already been booked under the NSA.

He claimed that the state had been able to attract huge investment in the last decade and today Orissa was emerged as the second largest investment state in the country after Gujrat.

The state had registered a growth rate of 9.51 per cent in the 10th plan as against the national average of 7.8 per cent, he informed.

Coming down heavily on the Congress government in the past, the chief minister alleged that due to corruption and mismanagement of funds by the previous government, the state was forced to incur high cost loans and was almost in a debt trap.

''We could turn around the fiscal situation of the government by bringing discipline in the administration and controlling corruption'' Mr Patnaik remarked.

The revenue deficit, which was six per cent of the GSDP during the previous government, had been completely wiped out since 2005-2006 and the debt stock had been brought down from 42 per cent to 27 per cent of the GSDP, he said.

He further said the state government was able to introduce a number of schemes due to improved fiscal situation and took number of steps to increase the power generation and irrigation facilities.

The government was able to achieve 35 per cent irrigation in 145 blocks, while the remaining 169 blocks would achieve the target in the next five years, he added.

On the Maoists activities in the state, the chief minister said his government had taken number of steps to contain the Naxal menace.

Due to sustained efforts, 182 Maoists had been arrested in 2009, while 19 were arrested and nine surrendered during the first two months of the year.