THE MINISTER OF MINES AND MINISTER OF DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION (SHRI B.K. HANDIQUE)
(a) & (b): Information relating to mineral concession proposals recommended by the State Governments seeking prior
approval of the Central Government under Section 5(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation ) [MMDR] Act,
1957, including the status of each proposal and reasons for pendency is available on the website of the Ministry of Mines
(www.mines.nic.in).
(c) & (d) Yes, Madam. The National Mineral Policy 2008 provides that a thrust will be given to exploitation of
mineral resources in which the country is well endowed. It also states that exploration of lower grade hematite,
magnetite etc. will be put on fast track. The Policy further provides that the Geological Survey of India (GSI)
shall be the principal agency for regional mineral resources assessment and detailed exploration is to be done by the
Directorate of Mining and Geology of the State Governments. Iron being a mineral included in Part C of the First
Schedule to the MMDR Act, exploitation is done through the grant of concession to applicants in accordance with the
provisions of the Act.
The iron ore exploration (investigations) during X and XI Plan period, investigations carried out by the
Geological Survey of India (GSI), State-wise, during the last three years, and exploitation of iron ore in terms of
allotment of mining lease and area, State-wise, are shown in Annexure I, II and III respectively.
(e) Does not arise.
Annexure I
Statement referred to in reply to Part (c) & (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4049 for 15th December, 2009.
Items of mineral investigations in GSI from X Plan period onwards
Plan Period Year Iron Ore Total
2002-2007 (X Plan) 2002-03 2 23 2003-04 2 2004-05 1 2005-06 6 2006-07 12
2007 onwards (XI Plan) 2007-08 5 14 2008-09 2 2009-10 7#
# Ongoing
Annexure II
Iron ore investigations carried out by GSI in the last three years, State-wise
State 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
Bihar 1 - -
Chhattisgarh 1 1 1
Jharkhand 2 - -
Karnataka and Goa 3 1
Orissa 3 1 1
Tamil Nadu 1 1 -
West Bengal 1 - -
Rajasthan - 1
Total (All India) 12 5 2
Annexure III
State-wise number of Mining Leases for Iron ore
States As on 31.3.2008 No. of Leases Area in hects.
Andhra Pradesh 31 1389.68
Chhattisgarh 13 5432.00
Goa 187 14002.79
Jharkhand 48 12379.23
Karnataka 158 17477.12
Madhya Pradesh 11 184.35
Maharashtra 24 873.13
Orissa 90 27702.40
Rajasthan 15 1521.30
Total 577 80962.00
