Lok Sabha Question No. 468 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-03
Subject: Limestone Reclassification
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Brijmohan Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 468

ANSWERED ON 03.12.2025

## LIMESTONE RECLASSIFICATION

## 468. SHRI BRIJMOHAN AGRAWAL:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the current percentage of compliance data for existing minor mineral leaseholders of Limestone tracked against the mandatory online registration deadline of March 31, 2026, State-wise including Chhattisgarh;
- (b) whether the Government has provided temporary exemption from penalties related to  non-filing  or  delayed  filing  of  returns  to  the  Indian  Bureau  of  Mines  during  the transition period and if so, the scope and duration of this exemption;
- (c) the details of the new guidelines issued for approval and validity of mining plans up to 31 March 2027;
- (d)  the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  process  and  resolve  pending applications  for  mineral  concessions  in  mining  rich  States  including  Chhattisgarh under the updated policy framework;
- (e)  the  details  of  the  list  of  all  the  Limestone  producing  States  in  the  country  with respective active Limestone mines and corresponding miners; and
- (f) list of all the minor minerals found and mined in the country, State-wise including Chhattisgarh?

## ANSWER

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

(a):  The  Central Government, vide Notification dated 10.10.2025, has classified all types of mineral Limestone as major mineral. Further, vide order dated 13.10.2025, under Section 20A of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act), the existing minor mineral lessees of Limestone have been directed to register themselves online with the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) under the provisions of  Rule  45(1)  of  the  Mineral  Conservation  and  Development  Rules,  2017  (MCDR, 2017) on or before 31.03.2026. This is applicable to all States including Chhattisgarh.

- (b): The Central Government, vide aforesaid order dated 13.10.2025, has directed that no penalty shall be imposed on such existing mines till 30.06.2026 for contravention of  the  provisions  of  the  Minerals  (Other  than  Atomic  and  Hydro  Carbons  Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016 and the MCDR, 2017, other than Rule 45 of the MCDR, 2017.

(c): The Central Government, vide aforesaid order dated 13.10.2025, has also directed that the existing mining plans for minor mineral leases of Limestone approved by the respective State Governments shall continue to remain valid till 31.03.2027 or their expiry, whichever is earlier, provided that the lessee shall submit a copy of the existing approved mining plan to the IBM on or before 31.03.2026.

(d):  The  Central  Government  has  directed  that  where  the  State  Government  had issued Letter of Intent (by whatever name called) for grant of a mineral concession before 10.10.2025 and such letter of intent was valid as on 10.10.2025 or where the auction process for grant of mineral concession has been concluded and preferred bidder has been selected before 10.10.2025 but the Letter of Intent (by whatever name called) for grant of mineral concession has not been issued, the mining lease shall be granted and executed in accordance with the rules made by the State Government in respect of minor minerals within a period of two years from the date of the order dated 13.10.2025.

(e): The major Limestone producing States are Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh,  Chhattisgarh,  Karnataka,  Tamil  Nadu,  Telangana,  Gujarat,  Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Odisha. Details of active mining leases in these states is given in Annexure-I .

(f): As per Section 15 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, the State Governments are empowered to make rules for regulating the grant of quarry  leases,  mining  leases  or  other  mineral  concessions  in  respect  of  minor minerals  and  for  purposes  connected  therewith.  The  complete  administration  and regulation  of  minor  minerals  vests  with  the  State  Governments.  The  list  of  minor minerals produced in the country is given in Annexure-II .

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## Annexure-I

## (Referred in reply to part (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 468)

|   Sl. No | State            |   No. of working mines | Major miners of limestone                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------|------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Rajasthan        |                     44 | Ultratech Cement Limited, Ambuja Cements Limited, Shree Cement Limited, J.K. Cement Limited, Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Limited, NU Vista Limited, Wonder Cement Limited                                                                                        |
|        2 | Madhya Pradesh   |                    195 | Ultratech Cement Limited, Jaiprakash Associates Limited, KJS Cement (I) Limited, Prism Johnson Limited, S.N.S. (Minerals) Private Limited, Sagar Cements (M) Private Limited, ACC Limited, Shri Marutaye Balaji Steels Limited, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited |
|        3 | Andhra Pradesh   |                     70 | The Ramco Cements Limited, Ultratech Cement Limited, The KCP Limited, Panyam Cements & Mineral Industries Ltd, Penna Cement Industries Limited, Sree Jayajothi Cements Private Limited, The India Cements Limited                                              |
|        4 | Chhattisgarh     |                     60 | Ultratech Cement Limited, ACC Limited, Shree Cement Limited, Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Limited, JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd, Ambuja Cements Limited                                                                                                                  |
|        5 | Karnataka        |                     52 | Ultratech Cement Limited, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, Kalburgi Cement Private Limited, Shree Cement Limited, J.K. Cement Limited, Gulbarga Cement Limited, ACC Limited                                                                                     |
|        6 | Tamil Nadu       |                     68 | Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, Chettinad Cement Corporation Private Limited, Ultratech Cement Limited, The India Cements Limited, The Ramco Cements Limited, Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation Limited                                                           |
|        7 | Telangana        |                     30 | My Home Industries Private Limited, The India Cements Limited, NCL Industries Limited, Penna Cement Industries Limited, Deccan Cements Limited, Zuari Cement Ltd, Sagar Cements Limited, Cement Corporation of India Ltd                                       |
|        8 | Gujarat          |                     83 | Shree Digvijay Cement Company Limited, Ultratech Cement Limited, GHCL Limited, Nirma Limited, Ambuja Cements Limited, Tata Chemicals Limited, Saurashtra Cement Ltd                                                                                            |
|        9 | Maharashtra      |                     31 | Ambuja Cements Limited, Murli Industries Limited, Maharashtra State Mining Corporation Limited, ACC Limited, RCCPL Private Limited                                                                                                                             |
|       10 | Himachal Pradesh |                     27 | Ambuja Cements Limited, Ultratech Cement Limited, Cement Corporation of India Ltd                                                                                                                                                                              |
|       11 | Meghalaya        |                     15 | Star Cement Limited, Meghalaya Cements Limited, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd.                                                                                                                                                  |
|       12 | Odisha           |                      6 | Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, Shiva Cement Limited, The Bisra Stone Lime Co Limited, Industrial Development Corporation Orissa Ltd.                                                                                                                          |

## Annexure-II

## (Referred in reply to part (f) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 468)

List of minor minerals produced in the country:

1.  Agate
2.  Ball clay
3.  Calcite
4.  Chalk
5.  Kaolin
6.  China clay
7.  Clay(others)
8.  Corundum
9.  Diaspore
10.  Dolomite
11.  Dunite or Pyroxenite
12.  Felsite
13.  Fireclay
14.  Gypsum
15.  Laterite
16.  Lime kankar
17.  Ochre
18.  Pyrophyllite
19.  Quartzite
20.  Sand (others)
21.  Shale
22.  Silica sand
23.  Slate
24.  Talc/soapstone/steatite
25.  Building stones (Granite & other building stone)
26.  Gravel
27.  Ordinary clay
28.  Marble
29.  Shale when used for building material
30.  Sand stone when used for building purposes or for making road metals and house-hold utensils
31.  Quartzite when used for building purposes or for making road metals and house-hold utensils
32.  Saltpetre
33.  Ordinary sand other than used for prescribed purposes as given below:
- i. purposes of refractory and manufacture of ceramic
- ii. metallurgical purposes
- iii. optical purposes
- iv. purposes of stowing in coal mines
- v. manufacture of silvicrete cement
- vi. manufacture of sodium silicate
- vii. manufacture of pottery & glass
34. Boulder
35. Shingle
36. Chalcedony for impure quartz pebbles used for ball mill purposes or filling for bore wells or for decorative purposes in buildings
37. Limeshell when used in kilns for manufacture of lime used as building material
38. Lime kankar when used in kilns for manufacture of lime used as building material
39. Brick earth
40. Fuller's earth
41. Bentonite
42. Road metal
43. Reh-matti
44. Slate when used for building material
45. Stones used for making house-hold utensils
46. Ordinary earth when used for levelling or filling purposes in constructions of embankments, roads, railways, buildings, etc.
47. Murrum
48. Calcareous sand
49. Fuschite-Quartzite
50. Jaspar