Telangana Mines Dept gives suggestions for National Mineral Policy

Hyderabad: The Ministry of Mines, Government of India has initiated to revisit the National Mineral Policy 2008 and accordingly obtained comments/suggestions from the general public, State Governments and Union Territories, Mining Industry, State Holders, Industry Associations and other persons and entities and notified the National Mineral Policy 2019.

The State Government of Telangana, represented by BRV Susheel Kumar, Director of Mines & Geology contributed resourceful inputs to the Ministry of Mines, Government of India in the framing of the National Mineral Policy 2019.

The framing of National Mineral Policy 2019 was spearheaded under the Chairmanship of the most proficient officer K. Rajeswara Rao, IAS (1988-Native of Nalgonda District, Telangana State), Additional Secretary, Ministry of Mines, Government of India.

Telangana has been a role model state in Mining and attracted various other state governments to study the mining policies of Telangana. Telangana government's regulatory mechanism helped increase the revenues in the mining sector.

In 2018, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Minister for Local Bodies, Tourism, and Culture, Punjab was in Telangana to study the sand mining policy of the state. During his visit, he termed Telangana as a lighthouse for States looking for best sand mining policy. He also stated that the Punjab government will emulate the Telangana government to frame its policy and ensure more revenue.

India is the 3rd largest producer of minerals in the world and the rise in infrastructure development and automotive production are driving growth in the sector. Power and cement industries are also aiding growth in the metals and mining sector.

The major highlights of the National Mineral Policy 2019 include a suggestion to have a more effective, meaningful and implementable policy that brings in further transparency, better regulation, enforcement, balance social and economic growth as well as sustainable mining practices; -Ensure more effective regulation leading to sustainable mining sector development in the future; Encourage the private sector to take-up exploration; Auctioning in virgin areas for composite RP cum PL on a revenue share basis; Long term import & export policy for minerals for better planning and stability in the mining business.

Telangana Government also proposed rationalisation of areas given to PSUs which have not been used and to put these areas to auction, which will give more opportunity to the private sector for participation; -E-office, IT-enabled systems, awareness and information campaigns to bring in further transparency in the mining sector; Effective Mining Surveillance System to curb illegal mining activity; Formulation of Geological & Mineral Database Repository; Mining Tenement System for mineral resource audit and to monitor mineral flow from source to the endpoint with transparency; Use of coastal waters and inland shipping for evacuation and transportation of minerals and to encourage dedicated mineral corridors to facilitate the transportation of minerals and the utilization of District Mineral Fund for equitable development of project affected persons and areas.

The National Mineral Policy 2019 will play a pivotal role in the development of the mineral sector and improve the growth in the mining industry in the country. The policy initiatives will spearhead and boost the growth and development of the mining industry in the Telangana State under the leadership of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao.