| Subject: |
MMDR Act amendment Bill to be tabled in coming session of Parliament |
|
KOLKATA: The MMDR Act amendment Bill will be tabled in coming session of Parliament and detailed guidelines for mineral concessions will be issued in the coming weeks.
This was stated by the union minister for steel, mines, labour & employment Narendra Singh Tomar during his inaugural address at the Mining & Exploration Convention & Trade Show in Bangalore. "Our government is working to totally transform the image of mining sector in India. We have a three-pronged approach to this, to foster transparency, simplification and development, so that all processes are simpler and faster, and every person can get his work done without any prejudice," Mr Tomar said.
"Together all of us will have to make mining sector so development and growth oriented that others should feel proud to be associated with this sector. We should encourage responsible mining, so that courts and commissions do not need to intervene," he added.
Organised by the Federation of Mineral Industries and the Mines Ministry, the three-day meet is being attended by geologists, mining engineers, policy-makers, investors, technology providers and industrialists from India and abroad.
"Next to agriculture, mining is one area where opportunities to create employment are immense. But mining & minerals sector is passing through a challenging phase. Increasing cost of exploration, decrease in grade quality, environmental challenges, lack of skilled manpower, health and safety issues are some of the challenges facing the sector. In recent past, import of some minerals has become higher than their export, which is not a desirable situation considering our vast mineral resources. After 66 years, such a situation is indeed not desirable. But the present government is trying to improve the situation at the earliest. Therefore, all other stakeholders should also come forward and join hands in making the mining sector, a progressive and respectable sector," the minister said.
Mr Tomar said the central government is trying to expedite the pending mining clearances. "We have asked the state governments through face-to-face meetings and written communication, to speed up the clearances. The government is also trying to encourage use of latest technology in the field of mining, specially underground mining, to minimise impact on environment and for faster development of the sector. Proper assessment and exploration of available mineral resources is also our priority, so that public, private, domestic and foreign institutions can contribute to the development and progress of the sector," the minister told the gathering.
Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com
|