CCEC meeting: Govt to discuss states mineral auction preparedness

Will also be discussing the identification, demarcation and assessment of the mineralisation for the mineral block areas

Worried that states are not gung-ho enough about mineral auction, the Union government has decided to make that a talking point at the next central coordination-cum-empowered committee (CCEC) meeting to be held in New Delhi on August 4. The central government would also be discussing the identification, demarcation and assessment of the mineralisation for the mineral block areas.

The preparedness of state governments for initiating and conducting of mineral auction has already been discussed in the previous CCEC meetings. However, none of the non-coal mineral blocks has been auctioned yet since the passing of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015, in March this year.

The government will also review and discuss the states’ progress in setting up of a District Mineral Foundation (DMF), so that local benefit-sharing commences at the earliest. The Centre has already asked the states if they have decided on the districts to be notified for DMF. In case the DMF structure has not been notified, the Centre has asked the time it would take in doing so.

Another topic which the Centre would be discussing with the states is the status of extension of existing mining leases. The new mining law has allowed extension of lease period of captive mines by 15 years, while the non-captive mines are allowed to operate till 2020 only.
 

The government will also discuss Sustainable Development Framework (SDF) for the Mining Sector in the upcoming meeting.