By IANS
Raipur : Mineral rich Chhattisgarh state has earned a record Rs.8.32 billion in royalties during the fiscal year 2006-07, registering a Rs.940 million rise in royalty earnings compared to the fiscal year 2005-06, a senior official said Friday.
"Chhattisgarh earned Rs.8.32 billion as royalty from minerals in fiscal 2006-07, while the royalty earnings were Rs.7.37 billion in fiscal 2005-06 and Rs.6.94 billion in fiscal 2004-05," a senior official of the Directorate of Minerals and Mining, told IANS on condition of anonymity.
He added that nearly 80 percent of the royalties earned during last fiscal year came from coal, iron ore and bauxite. The coal rich Korba district contributed the highest amount of Rs.4.21 billion followed by Koriya district with Rs.1.12 billion and Surguja district with Rs.750 million.
Chhattisgarh ranks second in India's mineral production and has about 23 percent of the country's total iron ore reserves and 18 percent of total coal deposits. The state also has substantial reserves of bauxite, dolomite and limestone.