The Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai has said that the State Governments are the owners of the minerals located within their respective boundaries. They grant the mineral concessions [Reconnaissance Permit (RP), Prospecting License (PL) and Mining Lease (ML)] under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957. Prior approval of the Central Government is required under Section 5 (1) of the Act for grant of RP, PL and ML in respect of minerals specified in Parts 'B' and 'C' of the First Schedule to the Act. Subsequent to the prior approval of the Central Government, mineral concessions are executed by the State Governments with the applicants after they obtain all statutory clearances and approvals. Details of mining lease granted in tribal areas are not separately maintained by Ministry of Mines. However the details of the prior approval given by the Ministry of Mines during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise, including in Tribal areas in the country is given in the Annexure.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said that the Central Government has enunciated National Mineral Policy, 2008, which seeks to develop a sustainable framework for optimum utilization of the country's natural mineral resources for the industrial growth in the country and at the same time, improving the life of people living in mining areas, which are generally located in the backward and tribal regions of the country. The Mineral Policy also enunciates that special care will be taken to protect the interest of host and indigenous (tribal) populations through developing models of stakeholder interest based on the international best practice.
Annexure
The State-wise details of the prior approval for mining lease given by the Ministry of Mines during each of the last three years and the current year, including in Tribal areas in the country:
Name of States | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 (Up to 18.12.2014) |
Andhra Pradesh | 02 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
Chhattisgarh | 03 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
Jharkhand | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
Karnataka | 01 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
Kerala | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
Madhya Pradesh | 19 | 01 | 05 | 01 |
Maharashtra | 02 | 01 | 00 | 00 |
Manipur | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
Meghalaya | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
Odisha | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
Rajasthan | 00 | 00 | 02 | 04 |
Tamil Nadu | 00 | 07 | 00 | 00 |
Telangana | -- | -- | -- | 00 |
Uttar Pradesh | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
West Bengal | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
TOTAL | 27 | 0 9 | 0 7 | 05 |
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