Question : BAUXITE MINES

(a) whether bauxite mines are given on lease by the Government;

(b) whether the Government of Madhya Pradesh have reserved Bauxite reserves in 163 villages of Bastar district for M.P. State Mineral Corporation and thereafter requested the Union Government for their clearance;

(c) if so, whether the approval has since been accorded;

(d) whether Chhattisgarh Madhya Pradesh Mineral Corporation is neither doing any mining of Bauxite on its own nor is interested in doing so;

(e) whether said Corporation gave one mine of Bastar district on contract for mining and sale which is beyond the jurisdiction of the Corporation;

(f) if so, whether the Contractor and said Corporation have indulged in illegal mining and three cases are going on in the court of Kankar in this regard; and
(g) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)


(a) The State Governments can grant mining lease for bauxite in areas under their jurisdiction with previous approval of the Central Government.

(b)&(c): In 1998 , the Government of Madhya Pradesh had approached the Central Government for approval of reservation of areas inter-alia of Bastar District not already held under any prospecting licence or mining lease for bauxite mining by the Madhya Pradesh State Mineral Corporation. After Bastar District has become part of Chhattisgarh State, the State Government of Chhattisgarh is not pursuing this proposal.

(d) to (g): The State Government of Chhattisgarh has informed that Chattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. is doing mining on its own. Three cases of illegal mining were registered in the court of Collector Kanker and have been disposed of. In one case penalty has been imposed and also deposited by the concerned party. In other two cases appeal is pending in the court of Commissioner of Bastar division.