Lok Sabha Passes Mines ,Minerals Development And Regulation Bill

03 March New Delhi

The Lok Sabha Tuesday passed Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Amendment Bill, 2015 to regulate the mining sector in the country.

The bill was introduced in the house on 24th of the last month. It will replace ordinance promulgated on 12th of January this year. It creates a new category of mining license which will be the prospecting license-cum-mining lease, a two stage-concession for the purpose of undertaking prospecting operations followed by mining operations.

Replying to a debate on the bill, Minister for Steel and Mines, Narendra Singh Tomar said, the new bill will ensure transparency in the mining operations and weed out corruption.

He said, now all the mines will be allocated through auction route only. He said, to curb illegal mining, strict provisions have been made in the bill with enhanced punishment up to 5 years imprisonment and a penalty attracting up to Rs 5 lakh per hectare.

All the amendments moved by Opposition members were negated. The opposition including Congress, CPI(M) and TMC staged a walkout in protest.