Odisha government has set up an inter-departmental committee to consider a large number of applications for renewal of mining leases pending for over 10 years.

A notification by steel and mines department said, the 12-member committee headed by the Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary will examine applications for renewal of mining lease for statutory clearance.

Other members of the committee are secretaries of steel and mines, forest and environment, revenue and disaster management departments, principal chief conservator of forest, PCCF (wildlife), director of environment, director of mines, director of geology, chief executive officer, Odisha Remote Sensing Application Centre and member secretary of the state pollution control board.

The modalities for the working of the committee and the frequency of sitting may be decided by the committee.