(a) the number of non-functional mines in the country as on date, State-wise;
(b) whether some of these mines have not been developed by the Government during the last as well as current plan period, and if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government proposes to cancel the mining leases of such mines and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to make them functional at the earliest?
THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, COAL, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a): As per information made available by Indian Bureau of Mines, a sub-ordinate office of the Ministry of Mines, the number of non-working mines in the country (State-wise) as on 09.03.2017 is given at Annexure.
(b) to (d): State Governments grant mineral concessions. Compliance of the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the rules framed thereunder are monitored by the Indian Bureau of Mines (a subordinate office of Ministry of Mines) and the State Government, including the non-working mines.
There could be various reasons for the mining leases to be non-working, such as: (i) want of clearances under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and other statutory provisions; (ii) suspension of mining operations on account of court orders; or (iii) temporary suspension of mining operations for violation of lease conditions. Commencement of mining operations in such leases would be subject to obtaining the necessary clearances, the outcome of the court cases, or the rectification of the lease violation, as the case may be.
Section 4A(4) of the MMDR Act provides for lapsing of the leases wherein the holder of a mining lease fails to undertake mining operations for a period of two years after the date of execution of the lease or having commenced mining operations, has discontinued the same for a period of two years. State Governments enforce the provisions of the said section and leases found to be in violation of the said provision are liable to be lapsed in accordance with the procedure contemplated in rule 20(2) of the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbon Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016, whereby the lapsing of a mining lease shall be recorded through an order issued by the State Government and shall also be communicated to the lessee.
Once such leases are lapsed/cancelled, they can be put to auction by the concerned State Government for commencement of the mining operations and production of minerals.
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Annexure mentioned in reply to Lok Sabha unstarred question number 2353 for 16.03.2017 regarding non-functional mines asked by Shri Jugal Kishore
State-wise details of non-working mines as on 09/03/2017
Sl. No. Name of the State Number of Non-Working Mines
1 Goa 211
2 Jammu and Kashmir 03
3 Haryana 04
4 Uttarakhand 04
5 Himachal Pradesh 23
6 Gujarat 205
7 Jharkhand 78
8 West Bengal 04
9 Sikkim 03
10 Andhra Pradesh 275
11 Telengana 45
12 Odisha 309
13 Maharashtra 51
14 Chhattisgarh 66
15 Tamil Nadu 248
16 Karnataka 194
17 Kerala 02
18 Madhya Pradesh 381
19 Uttar Pradesh 02
20 Bihar 01
21 Rajasthan 73
22 Assam 04
23 Meghalaya 04
24 Manipur 01
Grand Total 2191