×

UPSC Courses

DNA banner

DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

  • 31 March, 2021

  • 3 Min Read

Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021

Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021

The Rajya Sabha passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation), Amendment Bill, 2021 doing away with the distinction between the captive and non-captive mines, allowing captive mines to sell up to 50% of the minerals excavated during the current year that will also help towards the auctioning of more mines.

  • The MMDR Act, 1957 empowers the central government to reserve any mine as captive mine which is utilised for a specific purpose only.
    • The bill removes the distinction between captive and non-captive mines.
    • The mines will not be limited to just a specific purpose/industry/sector.
  • Earlier, the ores extracted from captive mines were only used by captive industries.
    • The bill allows the leaseholders of captive mines to sell up to 50% of their ore into the open market.
      • Additional charges will have to be paid to the government by the lessee for selling minerals in the open market.
    • The 50% cap is flexible as government can go above the cap if necessary.
  • The bill provides that all clearances and licences granted shall continue till the reserves have been mined and post the expiry or termination of the lease, will be transferred to the next successful bidder.
    • This will help attract investors as under the previous regime, the new lessee had pre-embedded clearances for only two years, making it difficult to get fresh clearances within this time period.
  • As per the bill, if the lease for a mine is expired and the state government is unable to auction a mine, then the central government can step in for auctions; the idea is to not leave a mine idle.
  • Companies have a non-exclusive license for the reconnaissance of the area to find out mineral potential.
    • The amendment removes the non-exclusive license permit.
  • There are also provisions in the bill which allow the government to extend mining leases to government companies for a period of ten years. The idea is to ensure my utilisation of mine is more efficient.
    • The state governments will be provided additional royalty payments for extending leases to the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).
  • District Mineral Foundation: It is a trust set up as a non-profit body, in the districts affected by the mining works, to work for the benefit of affected people and areas. It is funded through contributions from miners.
    • The bill provides that the central government can also direct how the money should be spent for the development of the area.

Source: PIB


Formation Day

On 1st November, eight Indian states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu—along with five Union Territories—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry—celebrate their Formation Day. This date marks an important milestone in India

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

The Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Kachhua Sanctuary, is located in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. It is recognised as India’s first freshwater turtle wildlife sanctuary, established to conserve endangered turtle species and support the ecological health of the Ganga River. Location and Extent The sanctuary co

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

The Ministry of Education plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Thinking (CT) from Class 3 onwards in the 2026–27 academic year. This initiative is part of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The aim is to prepare student

Sal Tree

Scientists from the Environment Department of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Shimla have recently revealed that the Sal tree (Shorea robusta) is the most effective natural air purifier for combating rising pollution levels. Their findings highlight the tree’s superior capacity to trap dust, absorb gases, and cleanse the air compared

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

The President of the United States has ordered the resumption of nuclear weapon testing after a gap of 33 years, the last test being in 1992. This decision marks a significant shift in global nuclear policy and has far-reaching implications for geopolitics, the environment, and international security. Status of Global Nuclear Weapon Testing

DNA

03 Dec,2025

Toppers

Search By Date

Newsletter Subscription
SMS Alerts

Important Links

UPSC GS Mains Crash Course - RAW Prelims Answer Key 2024