Team Goemkarponn
New Delhi: In a bid to accelerate the operationalisation of auctioned mineral blocks, the Union government has proposed amendments that would allow mining leases to be executed partially by separating forest and non-forest areas within a block.
The Ministry of Mines has suggested changes to the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015, under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and has invited feedback from stakeholders, including state governments.
According to the Ministry, the proposed amendments aim to streamline mining processes and reduce delays. Measures under consideration include permitting part execution of leases for forest and non-forest zones, conducting auction procedures via a unified digital portal, automatically issuing letters of intent, shortening the gap between the issuance of the letter of intent and lease execution, and revising upfront payments for select minerals.
Under the proposed framework, a preferred bidder could exclude a small portion of a mineral block that falls under forest land, provided it is located at the periphery and constitutes less than 20 per cent of the estimated mineral resources. Alternatively, a lease could be executed in two stages—first for non-forest areas to allow early mining, and later for forest areas once all necessary statutory approvals, clearances, and no-objection certificates are obtained.
The Ministry also plans to introduce a single digital platform for auction-related processes, aiming to reduce procedural delays and ensure timely issuance of letters of intent. Officials noted that these amendments could remove bureaucratic hurdles, particularly those related to forest clearances, and give a significant boost to mining operations.
In Goa, of the 12 blocks auctioned so far, only five have begun mining operations, while the remaining seven are awaiting environmental, forest, and other regulatory approvals.
