Bokaro (Jharkhand), Jan 2 (IANS) Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren Saturday said the entire Chiriya mines in the state's West Singhbhum district would soon be leased to the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) for its 'expansion and modernisation projects'.

Soren told reporters here that he was in favour of SAIL being handed over the Chiriya mines, which have deposits of good quality iron ore, so that the company could meet its modernisation and expansion needs.

The earlier stand of the Jharkhand government was that SAIL should be leased some of the mines and the rest should be given to private parties that want to set up steel plants. This had led to a legal battle and a case is pending in Jharkhand High Court for last two and a half years.

Soren admitted that some few private companies had taken the leases in the Chiriya mines by flouting the norms. 'I would take up the issue of mines' leases in the cabinet and ensure that leases would be granted in a transparent manner,' he said.

On industrialisation in Jharkhand, Soren said his priority would be to ensure that the government undertakings keep running smoothly and sick units were revived.

At a meeting with Bokaro Steel Plant Managing Director V.K. Srivastava Friday, Soren said he believed that the Chiriya mines must be handed over to SAIL as this would help the nation's steel industry prosper.