SHILLONG, March 12: Meghalaya Government has received a total royalty of Rs 829,42,86,207 from extracted coal since April 17, 2014, the date on which the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a ban on coal mining in the state, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma informed the House on Friday.
Sangma said the royalty collected from the extracted coal has been deposited in the government treasury.
The CM also informed that 3,84,221 metric tonnes of extracted coal have been auctioned since the NGT ban came into force in Meghalaya generating a revenue of over Rs 71.22 crore from the bidders.
The chief minister read out the figures in response to a questioned by KHNAM’s North Shillong legislator, Adelbert Nongrum.
When the MLA sought to know how the royalty has been spent by the government, the chief minister declined to give the details, saying it would be difficult to provide the details.
He quickly added that the government had nothing to hide since the figures are audited by competent authorities.
