BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday reiterated the demand for revision of rate of royalty on coal and hinted that Central apathy is likely to be a campaign issue for the ruling BJD in the upcoming General Elections, the dates of which were also announced on the day.
“It is once again requested that the Central Government may expedite decision on this critical issue duly taking into account the long pending claim of the State Government to revise rate of royalty on coal from the present 14 per cent to 20 per cent,” Naveen said in a letter to Union Minister for Railways and Coal Piyush Goyal.
Expressing unhappiness over the issue, the CM said, “It is disheartening to learn from your February 25 letter that the final recommendation of the study group on coal royalty revision submitted on February 5 last year is still under consideration of the Centre.”
