BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) should expand its mining operations beyond Odisha and explore mining-based industrial activities in other states as global demand for minerals such as iron ore, bauxite and chromite continues to rise rapidly.
Addressing the 71st foundation day celebrations of OMC at Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre in Bhubaneswar, the Chief Minister described the corporation as a major pillar of Odisha’s economic development and industrial growth.
Majhi said the corporation, which had a turnover of just Rs 1 crore in the 1960s, has grown into one of the country’s leading mining companies with a turnover of Rs 25,000 crore in the 2025-26 financial year and a record extraction of 45 million tonnes of minerals.
The Chief Minister also highlighted OMC’s successful pilot project for extraction of Platinum Group Elements (PGE) from the Bangur chromite mine in Keonjhar district, saying the initiative would support sectors such as clean energy, electronics and modern automobile manufacturing.
Stressing the need for balanced growth, Majhi said OMC should focus not only on mining but also on industrialisation and greater local employment generation in mining areas. He suggested that the corporation explore the possibility of setting up pellet plants for utilisation of iron ore fines.
“Iron ore fines are no longer considered waste. With advanced technology, they can be utilised for pellet production, which has high demand in the steel-making sector,” the Chief Minister said.
He also advised OMC authorities to ensure that workers associated with mining operations are not deprived of livelihoods due to increasing automation in the sector.
“High automation is taking place in mineral exploration, threatening the livelihood of workers, especially those engaged in manual work. OMC should take care of these workers and explore alternative employment opportunities for them,” Majhi said.
The Chief Minister said OMC’s CSR initiatives in education, healthcare, drinking water, women’s empowerment, sports and infrastructure development have positively impacted the lives of people residing in mining regions.
During the event, Majhi inaugurated the permanent campus of Odisha Mining Model School at Kaliapani, eight Basic Life Support ambulances, Integrated Management and Monitoring Centres, and a digital health management system named O-Health. He also presented awards to the best-performing mines and regions.
Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary D.K. Singh said OMC has played a key role in Odisha’s industrial growth and stressed the need to maximise the utilisation of mineral resources for the development of both the state and the country.
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