Lok Sabha Question No. 2506 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-14
Subject: Mineral Explorations
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, SUDHEER GUPTA, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, ARJUN RAM  MEGHWAL, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, RAMCHARAN BOHARA, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, KAMLA DEVI PATLE, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, SRIRAM MALYADRI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2506 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 14 TH  DECEMBER, 2015

## MINERAL EXPLORATIONS

## 2506.   SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI ARJUN MEGHWAL:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

SHRI RAM CHARAN BOHRA:

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE:

SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE:

SHRI MALYADRI SRIRAM:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has set up the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) recently;
- (b) if so, the details and the objectives thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to take up aero geophysical survey of 8.13 lakh square kilometer of geological potential area in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof including the extent to which the State Governments are likely to be involved in this regard, State/UT-wise; and
- (e) the other steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to boost the exploration and production of various minerals in the country?

## A  N   S  W  E  R

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINES AND STEEL (SHRI VISHNU DEO SAI)

(a)  &  (b):  Yes,  Madam.  The  Central  Government  has  established  the  National  Mineral Exploration Trust [NMET] vide Gazette Notification No. G.S.R.633 (E) dated 14 th August, 2015. The NMET has a Governing Body chaired by the Union Minister In-charge of Ministry of Mines and  an  Executive  Committee  chaired  by  Secretary,  Ministry  of  Mines.  Further,  vide  Gazette Notification  No.  G.S.R.632  (E)  dated  14 th August,  2015,  the  Government  has  notified  the National Mineral Exploration Trust Rules, 2015. Both these Gazette Notifications are available on the website of Ministry of Mines i.e. www.mines.nic.in .

The primary objective of the NMET is to promote regional and detailed mineral exploration in the country to increase overall mineral production and achieve sustainable development of the mineral sector. The NMET Rules detail the objects and functions of the Trust.

(c) & (d): Geological Survey of India [GSI], an attached office of the Ministry of Mines, proposes to take up aerogeophysical survey of 8.13 lakh square kilometer of geological potential area in the country through outsourcing.

In  the  first  phase,  it  has  been  proposed  that,  reconnaissance  aerogeophysical  survey  of  the area will be completed with magnetometer and gravity sensors, and in the second phase, high resolution airborne survey will be carried out over potential mineral zones identified from the reconnaissance  survey.  The  potential  area  for  aerogeophysical  survey  covers  parts  of  the States  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  Telangana,  Rajasthan,  Karnataka,  Chhattisgarh,  Odisha,  Madhya Pradesh,  Maharashtra,  Gujarat,  Jharkhand,  Bihar,  Tamil  Nadu,  Uttar  Pradesh,  Kerala,  West Bengal, Meghalaya, Goa, Haryana, Sikkim and Assam. The data generated through aerogeophysical  survey  will  be  shared  with  the  concerned  States  for  taking  up  further exploration works.

(e): GSI, being the principal agency for mineral resource assessment of the country, has taken the following major steps for accelerating mineral exploration:

-  Adoption of multisensor aero-geophysical surveys and hyper-spectral mapping.
-  Integrated surveys for targeting concealed and deep-seated mineral deposits.
-  Introduction  of  high  precision  instruments  for  generating  precise  geophysical  and chemical data.
-  Expeditious  completion  of  geochemical  and  geophysical  mapping  in  the  geologically high  mineral  potential  area  measuring  about  3.44  lakh  sq  km  by  2017  and  2018 respectively.
-  Procurement  of  a  state-of-the-art  Oceanographic  Research  Vessel  for  survey  and exploration in Exclusive Economic Zone [EEZ] and beyond.

Further, the Government has amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act 1957, through the MMDR Amendment Act 2015 with effect from 12.1.2015, for promoting the mining sector. The amendments in the MMDR Act, 1957 are expected to give impetus to the sector by:

- (i) removing discretion in grant of mineral concessions, as mineral concessions will now be granted through auction by competitive bidding;
- (ii) allowing opening of mines which were closed due to pendency of decision on applications for  second  or  subsequent  renewal  through  extension  of  validity  of  lease  period  of  the existing leases;
- (iii) providing security of tenure of mining lease period with a uniform lease period of 50 years;
- (iv) simplification  of  procedure,  and  removal  of  delay  by  eliminating  requirement  of  prior approval of Central Government for grant of mining lease through auction;
- (v) allowing easy transferability of mineral concessions granted through auction, which would facilitate investments into the mining sector;
- (vi) establishment of District Mineral Foundation, which will work for the interest and benefit of persons, and areas, affected by mining related operations.

The Central Government has further empowered the State Governments for regulation of grant of  mineral  concessions  in  respect  of  an  additional  31  minerals,  which  have  been  notified  as 'minor' minerals on 10.2.2015.

***