Team Herald
PANJIM; In a bid to avoid any shortage of minerals and ensure the seamless transition of mines from existing leaseholder to the new leaseholder, the Union Mines Ministry has directed all the iron ore rich states to initiate process to auction the mines by July 2019, whose leases are set to expire in 2020. The exploration of these leases has to be completed by December, this year.
In Goa, initially around 174 leases had been identified for auction in 2020. However, with the Supreme Court on February 7 having quashed the second renewals granted to 88 mining leases, these too will be eligible for auction, if no immediate solution is worked out to grant review these leases.
During the Coordination-cum-Empowered Committee (CEC) meeting held last month, Union Mines Secretary Anil Mukim stated that the exploration for all mining leases expiring in 2020 must be completed by December 2018 and in case any assistance is required, letters may be written to Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) and Geological Survey of India (GSI) seeking support.
“Union Secretary also stated that all States must start auction of mining leases expiring in 2020 by July 2019 to avoid any shortage of minerals and ensure seamless transition of mines from existing leaseholder to the new leaseholder to whom lease will be granted through auction,” reads the minutes of the meeting, which were released on Thursday.
The Union Secretary has requested GSI and officers of the Ministry to prepare a report of various blocks which have reached auction-able stage (G2) under exploration but are yet to be listed for auction. In addition, the Union Secretary asked the states which are yet to initiate auction process to expedite the same.
The non-captive mining leases under Section 8A (6) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR) will expire on March 31, 2020. “To ensure that there is no disruption in the production in the mineral sector, it is important that these expiring mining leases are timely put up for auction, for which the exploration of the blocks is to be completed,” the Ministry said.
Currently, the iron ore mining industry in Goa is under suspension since March 16. Government is making all out efforts to give new lease of life to the mines till 2037 by making necessary amendment to the Goa, Daman and Diu Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, 1987.
