In order to develop the mining areas of the state, the Orissa government plans to create a special corpus. This initiative will see that the local population in the mining areas receives some benefits.
The corpus will be named as 'Special Development Fund' and Rs 100 crore would be pumped into it during the current fiscal. The government will provide 5 per cent of the royalty on major minerals to the special fund for development of the mining areas.
The locals in these areas don't have claims on the revenue generated from mining, due to this they remain passive in resisting illegal mining activities in the non-lease areas. This move is expected to reverse the trend.