Lok Sabha Question No. 1785 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-08
Subject: Environmental Friendly Policy
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RAJAN BABURAO  VICHARE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION 1785

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.03.2016

## Environmental Friendly Policy

## 1785.  SHRI RAJAN VICHARE:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Maharashtra has become the first choice for investors with the State Government's ease of doing business and friendly policies and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is likely to extend easy environment clearances to all such schemes sponsored by other States to attract investors; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (c) The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  issued  EIA Notification, 2006 vide S.O.No.1533(E) dated 14 th September, 2006, which provides procedure and mechanism for environment clearance. The notification has been amended from time to time to streamline the clearance process.  The  projects/activities  listed  in  the  Schedule  to  this  Notification require prior environment clearance.  The Ministry is committed to ensure that environment and development go hand in hand to achieve the ultimate goal of sustainable development.

Ministry has taken various initiatives and made the required changes in the policies, rules and  notifications with the objective to streamline  and rationalize the process of environment clearance for various sector projects without  compromising  the  integrity  of  the  environment,  which inter-alia include,  mandating  the  online  submission  of  applications  for  Terms  of References (TORs) and Environment Clearance with a view to bringing in transparency in the system and expediting decision making; regular monitoring  of  status  of  pending  projects;  regular  and  longer  duration meetings  of  Expert  Appraisal  Committees  for  consideration  of  projects  in different sectors; amending EIA Notification, 2006 delegating more powers to  SEIAAs;  standardizing  the  TORs  for  preparation  of  EIA  Report  and mandating finalization of TORs in  30 days; exempting the construction of industrial  shed,  school,  college,  hostels  for  education  institution  from requirement  of  EC;  granting  exemption  to  all  highway  projects  in  border States from scoping requirement and exempting all linear projects in border States from the requirement of public hearing subject to suitable conditions prescribed by the Ministry. Ministry has also amended the EIA Notification, 2006  to  facilitate expeditious  transfer  of      environment clearance to new allocatees of cancelled coal blocks; increased the validity of  Environment  Clearance  from  5  years  to  7  years;  for  the  first  time delegated the power to grant environmental clearance for mining of minor minerals (including sand mining) for 5 ha. of individual lease and 25 ha. in cluster, to the district level authority (District Environment Impact Assessment Authority) headed by the District Magistrate. These initiatives are part of the  efforts  of  present  government  to  create  a  clean  and transparent  working  environment  in  the  country  and  promote  the  Ease  of Doing Business, thereby boosting the 'Make in India' campaign.

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