Bhubaneswar, May 16: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday urged the state-run Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) to expand its footprint beyond Odisha and explore mining and mineral-based industrial opportunities in other states, as demand for critical minerals continues to grow globally.

Speaking at the 71st Foundation Day celebrations of OMC at Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre in Bhubaneswar, Majhi said the corporation should position itself for the next phase of growth by leveraging rising demand for minerals such as iron ore, bauxite and chromite across domestic and international markets.

“OMC should not remain confined to Odisha alone. The corporation has the potential to emerge as a major national mining player by expanding operations and exploring mining-based industrial activities outside the state,” the Chief Minister said.

Highlighting OMC’s growth trajectory, Majhi said the company, which started with a turnover of around Rs 1 crore in the 1960s, has evolved into one of India’s leading mining enterprises with an annual turnover of Rs 25,000 crore in 2025-26 and record mineral extraction of 45 million tonnes.

The Chief Minister also underscored the strategic importance of OMC’s pilot project on extraction of Platinum Group Elements (PGE) from the Bangur chromite mines in Odisha’s Keonjhar district. He said the initiative could support sunrise sectors including clean energy, electronics and advanced automobile manufacturing, where demand for rare and critical minerals is increasing rapidly.

In a push towards value addition, Majhi advised OMC to move beyond raw mineral extraction and focus on downstream industrialisation. He suggested the corporation examine the feasibility of establishing pellet plants for the utilisation of iron ore fines, which are increasingly being used in steel production.

“Iron ore fines can no longer be treated as waste. Technological advancements have made pellet production commercially viable and highly relevant for the steel sector,” he said.

The Chief Minister also flagged concerns over the social impact of automation in the mining industry, cautioning that increasing mechanisation could threaten traditional jobs linked to mining activities.

“Automation is expanding rapidly in mineral exploration and mining operations. OMC should ensure that workers dependent on manual jobs are not deprived of livelihoods and should create alternative employment opportunities for them,” he said.

Majhi further highlighted OMC’s corporate social responsibility initiatives in mining regions, particularly in sectors such as healthcare, education, drinking water supply, women’s empowerment, sports and rural infrastructure development.

During the event, the Chief Minister inaugurated the permanent campus of Odisha Mining Model School at Kaliapani, eight Basic Life Support ambulances, Integrated Management and Monitoring Centres and a digital health management platform named O-Health. Awards were also presented to best-performing mines and operational regions.

Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary DK Singh said OMC has played a central role in Odisha’s industrialisation journey and stressed the need for optimal utilisation of mineral resources to drive economic growth.