Lok Sabha Question No. 492 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-01
Subject: Mineral Blocks
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Badruddin Ajmal, Diya Kumari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 492 ANSWERED ON 01.12.2021

## MINERAL BLOCKS

## 492. SHRI M. BADRUDDIN AJMAL:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) the details and the number of mine blocks of Iron Ore, minor minerals, Aluminium and Copper, Manganese, Bauxite and sand currently located in Assam;
- (b) the names and the number of mines which are in operational state and those that are not operational;
- (c) the reasons for closing mine specially mineral blocks in Assam;
- (d)  the  total  number  of  mine  blocks  auction  during  the  last  five  years  in  the  country including the detail of the revenue Government earned from these mines blocks during last five years; and
- (e) the measures taken/to be taken by Government to curb illegal mining?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINES, COAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

- (a) to (c): As per information provided by State Government of Assam, at present, there are  no  mineral  blocks  of  iron  ore,  Aluminium  and  Copper,  Manganese,  Bauxite  in Assam. As per information provided by Indian Bureau of Mines, a subordinate office of Ministry  of  Mines,  7  mineral  blocks  are  in   Assam   of  which  two  are  working  mines. Details of  major mineral mines in State of  Assam is  provided in Annexure I . However, in  respect  of  minor  minerals  including  sand  ,  section  15  of  the  MMDR  Act,  1957, empowers  the  State  Governments  to  make  rules  for  regulating  the  grant  of  minor mineral concessions.
- (d): Since the amendment to MMDR Act, 1957, a total of 125 mineral blocks have been auctioned so far across 9 States. Out of these 125 blocks, 35 blocks are operational in 3 States.  As  per  information  provided  by  State  Government,  details  of  revenue  earned from these 35  auctioned blocks as auction premium  is provided in Annexure II.
- (e): Section 23C of the MMDR Act, empowers the State Governments to make rules for preventing illegal mining, transportation and storage of minerals and for the purposes connected  therewith.  Accordingly,  Govt.  of  Assam  has  notified  the  Assam  Mineral Regulation and Dealers Rules, 2020 to curb illegal mining in the State.

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## Annexure I referred to in part (a) to (c) of reply to Unstarred Question No - 492

|   SERIAL NO | DISTRICT      | MINERAL   | Working or Non- Working   | NAME OF THE MINE                        |   AREA IN HECTS |
|-------------|---------------|-----------|---------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------|
|           1 | Karbi Anglong | LIMESTONE | Working                   | DILLAI PARBAT, BOKAJAN                  |           171   |
|           2 | Dima Hasao    | LIMESTONE | Working                   | JAMUNA NAGAR LIMESTONE MINES, UMRANGSHO |            35   |
|           3 | Dima Hasao    | LIMESTONE | Non- Working              | NEW UMRANGSHO LIMESTONE MINES           |           167   |
|           4 | Dima Hasao    | LIMESTONE | Non- Working              | NEW UMRANGSHO LIMESTONE MINES           |            33   |
|           5 | Dima Hasao    | LIMESTONE | Non- Working              | UCL,18th Kilo, UMRANGSHO                |            31   |
|           6 | Dima Hasao    | LIMESTONE | Non- Working              | UMRANGSHO LIMESTONE MINE                |            35   |
|           7 | Dima Hasao    | LIMESTONE | Non- Working              | UMRANGSHO                               |           417.5 |

## Annexure II referred to in part (d) of reply to Unstarred Question No -492

Auction  premium  collected  from  the  auctioned   mines  which  are  made  operational  in  three States ( As per the information provided by the concerned States)

(Amount in Rs Cr.)

|   S.No. | State          |   No. of auctioned mines which are operational | 2017-18                        | 2018-19                        | 2019-20                        | 2020-21       | 2021-22       |
|---------|----------------|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------|---------------|
|       1 | Andhra Pradesh |                                              1 | Not Available                  | 7.52                           | Not Available                  | Not Available | Not Available |
|       2 | Odisha         |                                             22 | No auctioned block operational | No auctioned block operational | No auctioned block operational | 4,544         | 12,370        |
|       3 | Karnataka      |                                             12 | 3.39                           | 217.4                          | 549.6                          | 1080          | 1017*         |

Figures till Oct 2021

* In case of one mine, Figure is up to April 2021