States want to keep mining lease rights

NEW DELHI: Mineral rich states including Chhattisgarh, Karnataka have opposed moves to curb their powers by transferring their right to award mining lease to the Centre in case of delays in the process.

At the 28th meeting of mineral advisory council, these states said that such a move impinges upon the inherent and mandated powers of the states for management of minerals owned by them and therefore would be opposed.

“This recommendation will have serious implications and therefore cannot be accepted by the state,” Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy told the advisory council meeting.

The Hoda Committee on National Mineral Policy in its recommendations has suggested that Mines and Minerals (development and regulations) (MMDR) Act should be amended to prevent states to sit on mining lease applications. It has recommended that if states do not take a decision on granting lease within a period of six months, the lease application will automatically come to the Centre for clearance bypassing the states.

“Perhaps there is no other enactment which deprives any forum of its original jurisdiction on the ground of delays in disposal, whereas in the instant case, the constituent states of the Union are sought to deprive of their jurisdiction,” Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said.