What Orissa MPs can do?

They can do better by asking for royalty of Iron Ore to be linked 80% of world market price.

It is really commendable that MPs from Orissa have stood up at long last in the parliament on the IIT issue and made voice of Orissa, heard.

As we know the protest has not yielded any result, at least immediately. Govt. of India, has gotten accustomed to an acquiescing Orissa, with little or no protest on such issues, even as much as a squeak.

My suggestion to our MPs would be: don’t waste your energy in begging. I was checking yesterday and found that 46.7 million tons of Iron Ore have been raised last year from the mines of Orissa. If we could charge the world market price to the buyers, Government of Orissa(GOO), would have earned:
($84.4-$10)*46.5 million =$3.5 billion $$. Where $10 (Rs. 450) is the raising cost.
If we get this money where ever then GOO can have: Fifteen, Rs. 1000 crore IITs. And if Orissa MPs can collaborate with MPs of Jharkhand and 36 garh, we will be in a position like OPEC countries to pay our way to a developed condition.

Now some one may ask me, how do we get this done? This is money that the mine licensee are minting – how does Government of Orissa / 36 Garh / Jharkhand can earn it? My answer is through – Orissa Mining Corporation. Even if the cost to OMC is $15 due it’s inefficient & higher cost ways (no corrupt practices will of course be allowed), the money thus earned can be given back or donated to GOO prescribed causes and spent on the mined/mining areas for their development. There will be enough, Rs.15000 crore of earning for every cause in Orissa, every year, at the present rate. If GOO gets $60 as royalty - there still will be $25 for mining and transportation etc.

It is OK to have the pit head steel plant but that they can be given the license so the state gets it's $60 or 80% of world market price which ever is greater. Posco/ Mittal or TATAs will still have 5% advantage over others to locate the steel plant in Orissa or 36 Garh or Jharkhand, considering there is a 10 to 15% disadvantage of backward area due unavailability of ready made infrastructure.

Let our MPs do us a favor, demand to GOI to raise and link the Royalty to 80% of the world Ore price permanently. And let GOO ensure that there is no stealing of Ore from the mines as is prevalent.

And Orissa will then have money for everything and to spare. We need to spend the money to make our 7,011 high schools were functioning in the State (now 7800) Oriya medium High schools, 44,416 Primary Schools, 14.233 Upper Primary Schools, comparable to the English medium schools or better like it was in 50s and 60s, when a Purusottampur High School, produced a topper in High School Certificate examination. (http://orissadiary.com/orissa_education/orissa_education.htm)
An educated citizenry can take care of themselves.
Best wishes,
Sandip