Question : GRANT OF MINING LEASES

(a) whether the Government proposes to formulate a new policy on grant of mining leases for various minerals by amending the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the time by which the new policy is likely to be implemented;

(c) the details of the applications for grant of mining leases for various minerals pending with the Union Government;

(d) whether any irregularities have been reported in grant of the said leases across the country;

(e) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken/proposed to be taken against the persons/firms responsible for such irregularities; and

(f) the steps taken by the Government to clear the pending mining leases and to check misuse of mining leases?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINES AND STEEL (SHRI VISHNU DEO SAI)

(a) & (b): Yes Madam. The Ministry has drafted the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) (Amendment) Bill, 2014, which has been uploaded on the website of the Ministry on 17.11.2014, calling for comments/ suggestions on the draft Bill. The last date for receipt of the comments/suggestions is 10th December 2014. Based on the comments/suggestions received the draft Bill will be finalized and taken forward for introduction in the Parliament.

The Bill is designed to put in place mechanisms for:

(i) Improved transparency in the allocation of mineral resources;

(ii) Obtaining for the government its fair share of the value of such resources;

(iii) Attracting private investment and the latest technology; and

(iv) Eliminating delay in administration, so as to enable expeditious and optimum development of the mineral resources of the country.

(c): There are 54 applications pending as on date with the Ministry. Out of which, 45 cases have been referred back to the State Governments seeking clarifications / additional inputs. 47 cases have been referred to various other Ministries/Departments and organizations under the Ministry of Mines for obtaining inputs.

(d) & (e): As per the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957, mineral concessions are granted by the respective State Governments; however, in respect of minerals specified in Part ‘C’ of the First Schedule to the MMDR Act, 1957, mineral concessions are granted with the prior approval of Central Government. The Ministry of Mines has not come across any irregularity in grant of mineral concessions in respect of Part ‘C’ minerals of the First Schedule to the MMDR Act, 1957. As State Governments directly grant mineral concessions in respect of other minerals, information regarding any alleged irregularity in grant of mineral concessions for such minerals is not maintained centrally.

(f): The Ministry of Mines has constituted a ‘Central Coordination-cum-Empowered Committee (CCEC)’ under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Mines) with members which include the Central Ministries/Departments of Environment and Forests & Climate Change, Home Affairs, Steel, Civil Aviation, Railways, Shipping, Revenue, Fertilizers, Atomic Energy; eleven important mineral producing States of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu; and the Indian Bureau of Mines, and Geological Survey of India (subordinate offices of the Ministry of Mines).

The CCEC holds quarterly meetings to consider all mining related issues, including matters relating to coordination of activities to clear the pendency relating to grant of mineral concessions.