Question : GRANT OF MINERAL CONCESSIONS

(a) the details of mining operations being undertaken by the Government and private companies in the country at present, State/ UT-wise;

(b) the number of proposals received for grant of mineral concessions from StateGovernments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and prior approvals conveyed by the Union Government during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(c) the number of proposals which are pending for want of approval of the UnionGovernment indicating the reasons for their pendency and the steps taken for their clearance;

(d) whether any irregularities have been committed in the grant of mineral concessions and if so, the complaints received in this regard during the said period and the action taken thereon; and

(e) whether a large number of people have been rendered landless/displaced due to acquisition of their land for mining activities and if so, the data of displaced population, State/UT-wise and the relief and rehabilitation packages provided to them under the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy of the Government?

MINISTER OF MINES (SHRI DINSHA PATEL)

(a): As per the information maintained by the Indian Bureau of Mines, the details of mining operations being undertaken by the Government and private companies in the country at present, State/UT-wise, is given at Annexure-I.

(b): The number of proposals received for grant of mineral concessions from State Governments including those in favour of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) during the years 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 (till 3.12.2013) and prior approvals conveyed by the Union Government during the said period, State/UT-wise, is given at Annexure-II and Annexure-III respectively.

(c) The Ministry has at present 327 mineral concession proposals recommended by various State Governments. Out of them, 126 proposals have been referred back to the State Governments seeking clarifications/comments/documents with regard to the proposals, and 61 proposals have been referred to the Geological Survey of India, Indian Bureau of Mines and Department of Atomic Energy seeking their comments on technical aspects of the proposals. The rest are at various stages of process. The primary reasons for the delay at the Central level are insufficient information/documents furnished by the applicants, legal implications and inappropriate application of the provisions of the MMDR Act and Mineral Concession Rules (MCR),1960 by the State Governments. Some of the steps taken by the Ministry of Mines for expeditious disposal of mineral concession proposals are: (i) Detailed guidelines have been issued on 24th June, 2009, 9th February, 2010, 29th July, 2010, 13th October, 2010 and 11th February,2013 in order to bring about more clarity and consistency in processing the mineral concession proposals; (ii) A Coordination-cum-Empowered Committee has been constituted in the Ministry of Mines under the chairmanship of Secretary (Mines) to inter alia monitor and minimize delays in grant of approvals for mineral concessions; (iii) Internet services are being used to ensure more accessibility to data and transparency in processing of mineral concession proposals recommended by the State Governments.

(d) No specific instance of any irregularity having been committed in grant of mineral concession has come to the notice of the Ministry of Mines during the said period. However, as provided in Section 30 of the MMDR Act, 1957, the Central Government may of its own motion or on application made within the prescribed time by an aggrieved party, revise any order made by a State Government or other authority in exercise of the powers conferred on it by or under the Act with respect to any mineral other than a minor mineral.

(e) Information regarding the people affected/displaced due to mining activities is not maintained by the Ministry of Mines, since leases are granted by State Governments. However, the National Mineral Policy, 2008 enunciates special care to protect the interests of host and indigenous (tribal) populations through developing models of international best practices, and protection of project affected persons through comprehensive relief and rehabilitations packages in line with the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R & R) Policy. Mining leases are given by State Governments and the R & R Policies of the State Governments are also applicable in such cases. The National Rehabilitation & Resettlement Policy, 2007 formulated by the Department of Land Resources, (NRRP-2007) provides for the basic minimum requirements that all projects leading to involuntary displacement must address. The State Governments, Public Sector Undertakings or agencies, and other requiring bodies are at liberty to put in place greater benefit levels than those prescribed in the NRRP-2007. The policy is available on the website of this Department i.e. www.dolr.nic.in.