Lok Sabha Question No. 2114 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-12
Subject: Land Allotment to Mining Companies
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Dushyant Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2114

ANSWERED ON 12.03.2025

## LAND ALLOTMENT TO MINING COMPANIES

2114. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the land area belonging to the Department of Forests that has been allotted to mining companies on lease or otherwise by the Government particularly in the State of Rajasthan during the last five years;
- (b) the criteria for land allotment as well as the names of the companies that have received land, the total leased area, the period of the lease and the conditions attached to these leases;
- (c) the steps being taken by the Government to curb illegal mining particularly in the State of  Rajasthan  and  the  details  of  the  measures  being  implemented  to  prevent  the exploitation of forest lands and other natural resources; and
- (d) whether the Government has a governance system in place to ensure sustainable mining practices and if so, the details of the key components of this system including regulations, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a): As per existing law, before execution of the mining lease, it is mandatory to obtain the requisite statutory clearances from various departments of the Central Government and respective State Governments, including Environmental Clearance and Forest Clearance.  As  part  of  the  Forest  Clearance,  the  prospective  lessee  is  required  to undertake compensatory afforestation in lieu of the diversion of forest land for mining.

As  per  the  information  provided  by  the  Government  of  Rajasthan,  an  area  of  195.09 hectares has been allotted to mining companies during the last five years.

(b):  The  allotment  and  diversion  of  the  forest  land  is  done  in  accordance  with  the provisions of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 and the rules framed thereunder. The lease period of the mining leases granted under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act), is 50 years. The mineral concessions are granted by the respective State Governments and the conditions in the mining lease are imposed by the State Governments in accordance with the provisions of the MMDR Act and the rules made thereunder.

(c): As per the provisions of Section 23C of the MMDR Act, the State Governments are empowered to make rules for preventing illegal mining, transportation and storage of minerals.  As  per  the  information  provided  by  the  Government  of  Rajasthan,  it  has constituted a District Level Mineral Development, Environmental Protection and Illegal Mining  Monitoring  Committee  on  23.01.2015  to  promote  environment  friendly  mining, resolve practical mining issues and prevent illegal mining. Further, the Government of Rajasthan has made a provision for use of vehicles equipped with GPS and RFID under the Rajasthan Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2017

The Central Government has implemented the Mining Surveillance System (MSS) for checking illegal mining activities around mining leases. The system checks a region of 500 meters around the existing mining lease boundary using satellite imagery to search for  any  unusual  activity  which  is  likely  to  be  illegal  mining.  Any  discrepancy  found  is flagged-off as a trigger. The triggers thus generated are forwarded to respective State Governments for verification through field visit.

Further, the use of drone technology has been made mandatory for the lease holders with an objective of improving mine planning practices, security and safety in the mines and ensuring better supervision of mining operations.

(d):  Ministry  of  Mines  has  implemented  Sustainable  Mining  Practices  by  making provisions under Chapter-V of Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR), 2017. Provisions have been incorporated in the rules for precaution against air pollution, prevention  of  discharge  of  toxic  liquid,  precaution  against  noise,  control  of  surface subsidence etc.

Rule  35  of  MCDR,  2017  provides  for  star  rating  of  the  mining  leases  based  on  the sustainable mining practices adopted by the miners. The star rating scheme is designed to have an inbuilt compliance mechanism for environment and forest safeguards and has been helpful in recognizing good performers in the sector while encouraging all mining lease holders to strive for excellence.

Further, as per Rule 35 (4) of MCDR, 2017, every holder of a mining lease is mandated to  achieve  at  least  three-star  rating  within  a  period  of  four  years  from  the  date  of commencement of mining operations and thereafter maintain the same on year-on-year basis.

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