New Delhi, June 22 (TIWN) Indian Industrial Value Chain Collective (IIVCC), a group representing organizations involved in the industrial production and consumption supply chain activities across India on Tuesday released data on the loss resulting from import activities of bauxite, a raw material required to manufacture aluminum.

For the first quarter of 2021, this totals to $51.97 million (Rs 390 crore), which otherwise should have belonged to the people of India, with a significant share going to the participants in the value chain of extraction, transportation, processing and supply of bauxite and its end output.  Commenting on the situation, Abhay Raj Mishra, member of Indian Industrial Value Chain Collective (IIVCC) and President of Public Response Against Helplessness and Action for Redressal (PRAHAR), said, "said, "Natural wealth in the form of minerals and natural resources of any region should ideally be utilized for the socio-economic development of its native populace. However, despite India having the fifth largest bauxite deposit in the world, with over 50% of it located in Odisha alone, aluminium industries continue to rely on imported bauxite. This has caused a forex loss of $571 million (Rs 4,400 crores) in the last 6 years alone".  "With bauxite reserves of more than 3.8 billion tonnes, it is baffling that India has to meet its bauxite requirements from imports. For every single mine auctioned, there is potential to garner Rs 5,000 crores for the exchequer and create 10,000 livelihood opportunities. The positive ripple effect that this could have on the socio-economy of the region is significant," he added.