The Congress has severely accused the central government of benefiting some industrialists by changing the rules of export of iron ore. The party has said that the Narendra Modi government, after assuming power, changed the rules and allowed a few selected companies to export iron ore. The party has demanded the government to make the names of these companies public and take strict action on them.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Congress spokesperson Pawan Kheda said that the central government is trying to destroy the country's premier institutions to benefit a few close ones. He said that till now iron ore was exported only through MMTC. But the current government changed the rules as soon as it took power and allowed the KIOCL company to export iron ore to many countries. These countries also include China.
Kheda said the duty was wrongly waived for wrongfully selling 30 per cent duty on iron ore through shrapnel. Concentration of iron ore concentrate was also relaxed. They allege that in this way iron ore worth about 40 thousand crores has been exported to many countries. He said that many such companies also sent important iron ore abroad without permission and duty of 12 thousand crores was also stolen in them.
Congress spokesperson Kheda said that in these cases there is a provision for heavy penalty for wrongful doing business. According to the rules, a fine of about Rs 2 lakh crore should be levied on it. He said that the Central Government should make public the names of companies which have exported high quality iron ore abroad in the last six years. The Congress demanded the government to take action against these companies and its permitting officers.