Orissa Minerals Development Company Limited (OMDC) was incorporated on 16th August 1918
BHUBANESWAR (India CSR): The Orissa Minerals Development Company Limited (OMDC), a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Steel, unveiled its 107th Annual Report for FY 2024-25 on October 27, revealing a stark downturn in financial health. With revenue plummeting to approximately Rs. 70.1 crore and a net loss of Rs. 40.9 crore, the company grapples with operational bottlenecks, escalating costs, and broader market headwinds in India’s iron ore and manganese mining landscape. This marks a reversal from modest gains in prior years, underscoring vulnerabilities in a sector strained by regulatory hurdles and volatile commodity prices.
Revenue Freefall: An 80% Quarterly Plunge in Q4
OMDC’s top line contracted dramatically in the March 2025 quarter, with sales dipping 80.19% year-on-year to just Rs. 6.73 crore from Rs. 33.98 crore in the same period of FY 2024. Full-year revenue hovered around Rs. 70 crore, reflecting subdued production and dispatch volumes amid mining disruptions. The company’s core businessโextraction and sale of iron ore, manganese, and chromiteโfaced headwinds from prolonged lease renewals, environmental clearances, and logistical snarls in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, where its key Thakurani mines operate.
Analysts point to a confluence of factors: stricter Supreme Court oversight on mining royalties and forest clearances has idled operations intermittently, while global iron ore prices softened due to oversupply from Australia and Brazil. Domestically, competition from larger players like NMDC and JSW Steel has squeezed OMDC’s market share, limiting it to niche, low-margin contracts with steel majors like SAIL.
Losses Escalate: Interest Burden and Thin Margins Bite Hard
The fiscal’s net loss ballooned to R. 40.9 crore, exacerbated by a standalone quarterly net loss of Rs. 31.44 crore in Q4 FY25โflipping a Rs. 13.49 crore profit from the prior year. Operating margins remained razor-thin, with the company posting negative profitability amid fixed costs that outpaced revenue recovery.
A key culprit? Surging interest expenses, which climbed amid high debt servicing for mine rehabilitation and capital works. Raw material and power costs, while marginally easing, failed to offset the drag from employee expenses and statutory levies. OMDC’s low interest coverage ratioโbarely covering obligationsโsignals liquidity strains, with cash losses estimated at over Rs. 44 crore for the year.
This comes atop a subdued Q1 FY 2026, where losses narrowed slightly to Rs. 2.79 crore but highlighted persistent challenges.
| Key Financial Metrics (Standalone, FY 2024-25) | Amount (โน Crore) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue from Operations | 70.1 | -20% (est.) |
| Total Expenses | 110+ | +15% |
| EBITDA (approx.) | -12 | Negative |
| Net Loss | -40.9 | Worsened |
| Interest Expense | ~30+ | +25% |
Source: Company filings and analyst estimates; figures approximated from quarterly aggregates.
Management’s Take: Regulatory Delays and Revival Hopes
In the Directors’ Report and Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A), OMDC attributes the slump to “unforeseen regulatory delays in mine auctions and environmental compliances,” coupled with “adverse weather impacting dispatches.” The report flags a Rs. 177 crore long-term debt overhang, primarily for capex, as a liquidity pinch, while noting one-time provisions for legacy liabilities ate into bottom-line resilience.
Yet, glimmers of optimism persist. The board highlights renewed government push for mine restarts post-AGM approvals and potential sponge iron diversification. “With lease auctions slated for Q3 FY26 and cost optimization via tech upgrades, we anticipate a 30-40% volume rebound,” states the MD&A. New leadership under Chairman A.K. Saxena and MD (Addl. Charge) Vasudha Chandra Suratkal is tasked with steering revival, backed by Rs. 100+ crore in fresh infusions from the Ministry of Steel.
Market Reaction: Shares Tumble 33% in a Year
OMDC’s scrip (NSE: ORISSAMINE) has shed over 33% in the past year, trading at depressed valuations with a market cap of Rs. 3,258 crore. Investors remain wary of execution risks in a small-cap miner overshadowed by giants, though the ‘Hold’ rating from brokerages like MarketsMojo underscores turnaround potential if mining auctions materialize.
As OMDC convenes its 107th AGM on November 18 via VC, shareholders will scrutinize strategies to arrest the bleed. In a sector pivotal to India’s steel ambitions, OMDC’s woes mirror wider painsโregulatory red tape and capex crunchesโbut also spotlight the urgent need for agile reforms to unleash Odisha’s mineral bounty.
OMDC 107th Annual Report FY 2024-25
- Annual Report Submission: On October 27, 2025, The Orissa Minerals Development Company Limited (OMDC) submitted its 107th Annual Report for FY 2024-25, along with the Notice for the 107th AGM, to BSE (Scrip: 590086), NSE (Scrip: ORISSAMINE), and CSE (Scrip: 25058).
- 107th AGM Scheduled: The AGM is set for Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 11:00 A.M. via Video Conferencing (VC)/Other Audio-Visual Means (OAVM), with the deemed venue at the Registered Office in Bhubaneswar. Key agenda includes adopting audited FY 2024-25 financial statements and approving auditors’ remuneration for FY 2025-26.
- Board Leadership Changes:
- Shri A K Saxena appointed as Chairman w.e.f. November 4, 2024.
- Shri Vasudha Chandra Suratkal (DIN: 10976128) appointed as MD Additional Charge w.e.f. February 22, 2025 (prior MD Shri Arun Kanti Bagchi held charge until February 21, 2025).
- Shri S. Sharad Rao (DIN: 05229914) appointed as Government of India Nominee Director w.e.f. June 11, 2025 (replacing Smt. Swapna Bhattacharya, who served until June 11, 2025).
- Shri Atul Bhatt ceased as Chairman on November 30, 2024.
- Shri Sidharth Sambhu ceased as Independent Director on November 2, 2024.
- Independent Directors Reappointed: Shri M. Saravanan (DIN: 09731230) and Smt. Dr. T.N. Sarasu (DIN: 09593230) reappointed as Independent Directors w.e.f. April 15, 2025.
- Key Managerial Personnel Updates:
- Shri Arindam Maitra appointed as CFO w.e.f. February 10, 2025 (replacing Shri Ramakanta Behera).
- Shri Pintu Kumar Biswal appointed as Company Secretary w.e.f. May 22, 2025 (replacing Shri S. Raja Bau).
- Special Resolutions for AGM Approval: Shareholders to approve regularizations of additional directors: Shri Vasudha Chandra Suratkal (MD Addl. Charge), Shri S. Sharad Rao (Govt. Nominee), Shri M. Saravanan, and Smt. Dr. T.N. Sarasu as Directors, pursuant to Ministry of Steel orders and Companies Act, 2013 provisions.
The Orissa Minerals Development Company Limited (OMDC)
Incorporation and Historical Background
The Orissa Minerals Development Company Limited (OMDC) was incorporated on 16th August 1918, marking more than a century of contribution to Indiaโs mineral and mining industry. Initially, OMDC was one of the specified companies under Bird & Co. Ltd.
After the enactment of the Bird & Co. Ltd. (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertaking and Other Properties) Act, 1980 (67 of 1980), the Government of India took control of Bird & Co. Ltd. This legislation empowered the Central Government to oversee and regulate the functioning of specified companies, including OMDC, ensuring transparency and preventing mismanagement.
Transition to a Public Sector Enterprise
OMDC became a Schedule-B Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) effective 19th March 2010, functioning as a subsidiary of Eastern Investment Limited (EIL), which also became a PSU on the same date. Later, on 5th January 2011, EIL became a subsidiary of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) โ further strengthening OMDCโs alignment within Indiaโs public sector steel and mining ecosystem.
Capital Structure and Stock Exchange Listing
The authorized and paid-up share capital of OMDC stands at Rs. 60 lakh, divided into 60,00,000 equity shares of Rs. 1 each. The companyโs shares are listed on the Calcutta Stock Exchange (CSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE). OMDC also received trading permission under the permitted category on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), ensuring visibility across major Indian bourses.
Mining Operations and Leases
OMDC has historically operated six Iron Ore and Manganese Ore mining leases located at Barbil in Keonjhar district, Odisha.
- Three minesโDalki Manganese Mines, Kolha-Roida Iron & Manganese Mines, and Thakurani Iron & Manganese Minesโare in the name of Bharat Process and Mechanical Engineers Ltd. (BPMEL) and operated by OMDC under Power of Attorney.
- The remaining three minesโBelkundi Iron & Manganese Mines, Bagiaburu Iron Mines, and Bhadrasahi Iron & Manganese Minesโare directly under OMDCโs ownership.
Lease Validity and Environmental Clearances
The Government of Odisha has extended the validity of these three OMDC-owned leases as follows:
- Belkundi Iron & Manganese Mines โ till 15th August 2026
- Bagiaburu Iron Mines โ till 10th October 2041
- Bhadrasahi Iron & Manganese Mines โ till 30th September 2030
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has granted environmental clearance for the Bagiaburu Iron Ore Mine, allowing an increase in production to 0.36 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) within a lease area of 21.52 hectares at Village Uliburu, Tehsil Barbil, District Keonjhar.
Additionally, a public hearing for the Belkundi Iron & Manganese Ore Mine was scheduled for 25th October 2023, signaling progress toward operational readiness. OMDC continues to take necessary actions to resume mining activities across all its leases.
Mineral Reserves and Future Prospects
Collectively, the six mines under OMDCโs operation are estimated to hold approximately 201 million tonnes of Iron Ore and 27 million tonnes of Manganese Ore. These reserves are strategically significant for Indiaโs steel production and industrial growth, positioning OMDC as a vital contributor to the national resource base.
(India CSR)
