Centre recommends states to adopt i3MS implemented in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: The central government has recommended other mineral bearing states to adopt IT application being implemented in Odisha for tracking of mineral production, dispatch and value accrued on a real time basis through its i3MS website.

This has been revealed in the departmental review meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi on Monday.

Steel & Mines secretary Raj Kumar Sharma mentioned that i3MS software developed and implemented in Odisha has proved very useful in monitoring of production, dispatch and transportation of minerals in the state on real time basis, said a release.

Union government has applauded its outcomes and have recommended the model to be followed in other states, he added.

Reviewing the progress, Padhi directed the department to scale up mineral production in coming months through close monitoring and appropriate action plan.

Replying to a media query after the meeting, Mines director Deepak Mohanty said the state has put in place a 24 x7 online system called Integrated Mines & Mineral Management System (i3MS).

All relevant central and state mining rules have been customised into this software.  The software tracks end to end mineral transaction i.e. quantum of minerals produced, transported and received by the industries.

All the stakeholders like lessees, dealers and government departments have been brought on this portal. It has also been integrated with RTO, Indian Railways, Commercial Tax, Ports and Treasury.

The daily production and dispatch are recorded on real time basis through this web based software. All the mineral transporting trucks have been put under GPS surveillance, and the roads, as well as mines, have been geo-referenced.

Mohanty also told that this had curtailed illegal mining in the state.

Till now 392 electronic weigh bridges in 136 mines, and 699 weigh bridges in 325 industries have been approved online through this portal. Similarly, 2,71,347 e-permits and 6312 number of dealer licenses have also been granted through it.

Around 2.4 crore trip sheets (transit pass for trucks) have been generated online through this system.  This website has now been customised for a mobile application providing the facility for tracking of minerals through a mobile app.

It may be pertinent here to mention that Odisha is the first state to have such a consolidated and robust IT application in mineral management. This has been highly appreciated in the Central Coordination and Empowered Committee meeting.

The Indian Bureau of Mines will now adopt it under Mineral Conservation & Development Rules of 1988.