Lok Sabha Question No. 1524 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-26
Subject: Sanctioned Mines
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: LALLU SINGH, KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1524

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2018

## SANCTIONED MINES

†1524. SHRI LALLU SINGH: SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE: SHRI ARVIND SAWANT:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) the total number of sanctioned mines in the country and Uttar Pradesh so far and the number out of them which are operational at present along with the number of those falling under the private sector;
- (b) whether all these mines comply with the safety and environment conservation norms and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) whether some of these mines have been closed down or are on the verge of closure due to violation of these norms and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINES AND COAL (SHRI HARIBHAI PARTHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

- (a) : The State Governments grant the mineral concessions under the provisions of the Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation)  (MMDR)  Act,  1957.  For  Minor Minerals,  all  policy  and  legislation  for  grant  of  mineral  concessions  and  also  their regulation and administration are devolved completely to the State Governments under the MMDR Act. The information for all minerals is not centrally maintained. However, details of total  number of mines of major minerals in the country including Uttar Pradesh and the number of working mines along  with  the  mines    falling  under  the  private  sector    as  on 01.04.2018 is as under:

| S. No.   | Particulars   |   Total Number of Mines |   Number of Working Mines |   Number of Mines in Private sector |
|----------|---------------|-------------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| (i)      | India         |                    3843 |                      1222 |                                1113 |
| (ii)     | Uttar Pradesh |                       4 |                         2 |                                   2 |

(b) &  (c): Safety in Mines  is regulated through the Mines  Act, 1952  which  is administered  by  the  Ministry  of  Labour  &  Employment,  the  provisions  of  which  are enforced by the Directorate General of Mines Safety. The safety norms are being checked for  compliance  by  the  Directorate  General  of  Mines  Safety  through  inspections  and enquires made by the officers of the Directorate from time to time. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal Ministry to address the environmental impacts  of  the  developmental  projects/activities.  MoEFCC  has  issued  the  Environment Impact  Assessment  (EIA)  Notification,  2006,  as  amended  from  time  to  time,  under  the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, which deals with the process for grant of Environmental Clearance (EC). The projects of mining of minerals require prior environmental clearance. As per the EIA Notification 2006, all the Project Proponents need to prepare a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment/Environmental Management Plan for  obtaining  Environmental  Clearance.  While  according  environmental  clearance,  the Expert Appraisal Committee stipulates necessary conditions for safeguarding the environment.  The  status  of  compliance  of  stipulated  conditions  of  the  environmental clearances of different projects, including mining projects, is monitored by Regional Offices of the MoEFCC.

(d) : As per the information provided by Directorate General of Mines Safety, Ministry of Labour & Employment, no mine has been closed down due to the violation of the Mines Act, 1952 and Rules and Regulations made thereunder.

******