Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Thursday, Jan 23, 2003
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Thursday, Jan 23, 2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
Industry & Economy
-
Granite & Marble Granite sector for leases in mining Raja Simhan T.E.
CHENNAI, Jan. 22 THE granite industry has urged the Tamil Nadu Government to introduce the Granite Development and Conservation Rules of the Government of India. Unlike Tamil Nadu, States such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Orissa have such a rule and grant prospecting leases and mining leases without any `hassle' and auction or tender. The industry recently gave a memorandum to the State Government in this regard. According to Mr R. Veeramani, Chairman, Gem Granites and Chairman, Natural Stones and Products Panel, Capexil, Tamil Nadu was the only State to introduce the auction system. "It resulted in loss of production of granite in Tamil Nadu, pushing the State behind Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It is time to revive the State's granite sector by offering similar prospecting licences and mining and quarry leases like other States," he said. Mr K. Badrinarayanan of Enterprising Enterprises said the State Government should collect royalty only for the granite taken away from the quarry — about 90 per cent of the material is wasted. This is followed world over, and many countries do not even charge the royalty.In the black granite varieties there are three price range qualities at $1,000 per cubic metre and above, $500 and above and below $500 to $275. But the "seigniorage" charged by the State Government was the same for all categories. This has resulted in no development due to non-viability of the economic range of materials selling $400. There should be three "seigniorage'' structures for black granites as per market conditions, he said. Out of the Rs 2,800 crore granite industry, monument sector contribution was about Rs 700 crore, and about 75 per cent of manufacturers are located in Tamil Nadu. In the last five years of the previous DMK Government there was no renewal of leases in the Government lands for granite quarrying. The Government should restore the policy followed in 1991-96 (during AIADMK regime) for the granite industry, he said.
Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | Home |
Copyright © 2003, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|