DOMESTIC Miners and steelmakers lock horns over mines ministry's proposal to amend MMDR Act The mines ministry has proposed changes in the law to allow auction of around 500 iron ore mining leases currently stuck in legacy issues among its recommendations under the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme. While steel companies have welcomed the move, merchant miners have opposed it saying it will put to risk significant investments made by existing concession holders and deny them a level-playing field. The ministry has proposed amending Sections 10A(2)(b) and 10A(2)(c) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 to pave way for auctioning of a large number of potential leases currently blocked in legacy cases.
16 | CCAI Monthly Newsletter September 2020
“The cases coming under Section 10A(2)(c) of the Act, which stood extinguished on January 12, 2017 as per law, but are still litigated or pursued unnecessarily at various levels, need to be brought to a closure to end the policy stalemate," the ministry said in a notice dated August 24. Cases under Section 10A(2)(b) are still disputed in the absence of a specific sunset clause in the act, and they have not reached closure yet, it said.
Mines ministry comes out with reform proposals “Proposal is there to remove the provision of earmark any mine for captive purpose during auction, henceforth, all the blocks will be auctioned without any end use restriction,� it said. The mines ministry has come out with a slew of
