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

Lok Sabha has passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill,2021 which seeks to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.

This act regulates the mining sector in India.

Key Provisions:

The Act empowered the central government to reserve any mine (other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals) for particular end-use.
- Such mines are known as captive mines.
The Bill removes the distinction between captive and non-captive mines.
It provides that no mine will be reserved for a particular end-use. All mines will now be able to sell their extra minerals.
The Bill provides that captive mines (other than atomic minerals) may sell up to 50% of their annual mineral production in the open market after meeting their own needs.
The bill provides for the constitution of a Statutory body named the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET).
- It will see the functioning of the mining sector.
The bill proposes to introduce an index-based mechanism by developing a National Mineral Index for various statutory payments and for future auctions.
Presently, upon the expiry of the mining lease and transfer of the lease to a new lessee, the statutory clearances issued to the previous lessee are transferred for a period of two years. The new lessee needs to obtain fresh clearances within the two years.
- The Bill makes the transferred statutory clearances valid throughout the lease period of the new lessee.
The bill allows the participation of private players in mining operations with enhanced technology.
The Bill provides that if the State Government is not able to complete the auction process within a specified time, the Central Government may take over and conduct such an auction.
The Bill says that mines (other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals) whose lease has expired, may be allocated to a government company in certain cases.

Significance of this bill:

The proposed reforms will raise the contribution to 2.5% as it seeks to make many mines available for auctions by resolving legacy issues.

Source: TH

Join Our Telegram

India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreem

India–Azerbaijan

05 Apr, 26
SHARE

A year after tensions arising from Operation Sindoor, India and Azerbaijan have taken steps to restore and normalise bilateral relations. The 6th round of Foreign Office Consultations, held in Baku, marked the first such engagement since 2022, signaling renewed diplomatic momentum. Recent Diplomatic Engagement During the consultations, bo

India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreem

04 Apr, 26
SHARE

The India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement has completed four years since its signing. Both countries now aim to build on this progress through strengthened collaboration and ambitious targets, including reaching AUD 100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. What is the India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Tra

ADR Report on Political Funding

03 Apr, 26
SHARE

A recent report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) analyses donations of ?20,000 or more declared to the Election Commission of India (ECI) by national political parties for FY 2024–25, highlighting transparency and accountability in political financing. Key Findings Massive Funding Surge Total donations to nationa

Maritime Chokepoints

03 Apr, 26
SHARE

Maritime chokepoints are narrow channels along global shipping routes where maritime traffic is concentrated. These points are geopolitically and economically critical, as they handle a large proportion of global trade, especially energy shipments. Current Relevance Over two-thirds of seaborne energy trade passes through a handful o

US-Israel-Iran War

01 Apr, 26
SHARE

Following the launch of Operation Epic Fury (U.S.) and Operation Roaring Lion (Israel), the geopolitical landscape has shifted fundamentally with the confirmed death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Iran retaliated through Operation True Promise 4, launching missile attacks against Israel and nearby Gulf states. The escala