Lok Sabha Question No. 2872 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Idle Mines in the Country
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Deepender Singh Hooda

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.2872

## ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025

## IDLE MINES IN THE COUNTRY

## 2872.  SHRI DEEPENDER SINGH HOODA:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) the total number of mines in the country that are currently idle, State and Union Territory-wise;
- (b) the details of the primary reasons for these mines being idle including factors such as  regulatory  delays,  environment/forest  clearances,  leaseholder  inaction,  legal disputes or any other administrative or technical reasons;
- (c) whether the Government has a plan to revive these idle mines and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether there is any mechanism for reclaiming or reassigning the leases of longidle mines to more capable operators or for alternative utilisation, such as conversion into solar parks or other public-benefit purposes and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the estimated economic losses to the exchequer in terms of foregone revenues and increased import dependence arising from the continued non-utilisation of such idle mines?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  &  (b)       There  are  1400  non-working  major  mineral  mines  in  the  country.  The State/  UT-wise  details  are  provided  in  Annexure-I.  The  mines  are  currently  nonworking mainly due to mine under process of surrender, pending lapse order by the State  Government,  lack  of  availability  of  suitable  grade  mineral,  uneconomic operations, non-compliance with statutory requirements, legal issues, and challenges linked to land acquisition and local issues.
- (c) & (d)      The Ministry of Mines has introduced several reforms under the MMDR Act, 1957 to revive non-working mines. Section 4A(4) provides that leases with no production and dispatch for two consecutive years are liable to lapse. The States are required to review and promptly re-auction the feasible blocks. Under Section 8B, all valid rights and clearances transfer automatically to the new lessee. For mines that cannot be revived, there is a provision for effective mine closure by the lessee through

approved closure plans that ensure proper restoration of the area which can be used for alternative public-purposes. (e)        Feasible  non-working  mines  are  auctioned,  whereby  States  receive  auction premium in addition to royalty.

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## Annexure: I

| Sl. No.     | State/Union Territory   |   No. of Non-working Mines* |
|-------------|-------------------------|-----------------------------|
| 1           | Tamil Nadu              |                         347 |
| 2           | Andhra Pradesh          |                         282 |
| 3           | Gujarat                 |                         172 |
| 4           | Madhya Pradesh          |                         143 |
| 5           | Karnataka               |                         110 |
| 6           | Odisha                  |                          81 |
| 7           | Jharkhand               |                          67 |
| 8           | Telangana               |                          40 |
| 9           | Maharashtra             |                          36 |
| 10          | Rajasthan               |                          25 |
| 11          | Chhattisgarh            |                          24 |
| 12          | Jammu & Kashmir         |                          24 |
| 13          | Meghalaya               |                          11 |
| 14          | Himachal Pradesh        |                           9 |
| 15          | Goa                     |                           8 |
| 16          | Bihar                   |                           6 |
| 17          | Haryana                 |                           4 |
| 18          | Kerala                  |                           4 |
| 19          | Uttarakhand             |                           4 |
| 20          | Assam                   |                           1 |
| 21          | Ladakh                  |                           1 |
| 22          | West Bengal             |                           1 |
| Grand Total | Grand Total             |                        1400 |