The central government, in a bid to bring in transparency and accountability in the mining sector, has asked states to scrupulously ensure timely renewal of leases as prescribed under Rule 24A of the Minerals Concession Rules (MCR).
The trigger is the pendency of 42,535 applications for a reconnaissance permit (RP), a prospecting licence (PL) or a mining lease (ML), as on April 19. Besides, there are 412 pending lease and licence execution cases and 2,045 renewal applications. The pendency is particularly high in Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu.
Of the 42,535 pendencies, there are 19,351 for RP, PS and ML in Karnataka, where the Supreme Court last week partially lifted a ban on mining. It is followed by 4,924 in Gujarat, 4,587 in Madhya Pradesh, 4,309 in Jharkhand, 3,612 in Orissa, 2,722 in Chhattisgarh and 1,153 in Tamil Nadu. Of the 2,045 pending renewal applications, Gujarat tops with 516, Jharkhand with 382, Goa with 379, Tamil Nadu 177 and Orissa 158.
A mines ministry official said: “Despite an agreement reached between the central and state governments at the central coordination-cum-empowered committees on mineral development and regulations, states are expected to send quarterly reports within a month of the close of the quarter on pendency of concession applications, lease and licence execution, and renewal applications. The report for the quarter ended December 2011 is long overdue. Only the governments of Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Orissa have furnished their reports for the said quarter.”
He said the rise in early disposal of pendency cases was a matter of concern and states have been asked to strictly adhere to the time frame prescribed under Rule 63A of the MCR for disposal of concession applications. It is supposed to be within six months for RP, nine months for PL and within 12 months for an ML. Besides, states where the pendency was high have been asked to ensure all records regarding mineral concession and renewal applications were maintained and updated regularly.
They have been asked to adhere to the timelines prescribed by the central ministry for reports (within a month of the close of the quarter). States have been told to undertake drives to minimise pendency of applications and renewal cases.
The ministry of mines has said states should strictly follow these provisions and indicate precise reasons for delay in sending mineral concession proposals beyond the prescribed time frame. If not, it has warned, it would return all such proposals.
