The National Mineral Policy, 2008, seeks to address areas of serious concern in mining sector relating inter-alia to:

(i)                 making the regulatory mechanism more conducive to technology and investment flows by ensuring greater transparency in allocation of mineral concessions, seamlessness and security of tenure in the concession processes,

(ii)               strengthening the role of Geological Survey of India, Indian Bureau of Mines, and State Directorates of Mining and Geology,

(iii)             developing and enforcing a Sustainable Development Framework ensuring stakeholder rights to the indigenous population and that the mining activity takes place along with suitable measures for restoration of the ecological balance,

(iv)             discourage and prevent sub-optimal and unscientific mining by promoting zero-waste mining,

(v)               developing new concession instruments to attract high technology for incentivizing exploration of large areas, and

(vi)             developing a cluster approach to mining of small deposits in a scientific and efficient manner.

As per available information for current leases for major minerals, details on the total number of mines where mining was stopped by Court direction on account of environmental hazard, and the number of workers affected due such stoppage is given as under:-

Sl.No

Name of State

Number of Mines

Number of affected workers

Remarks

1

Madhya Pradesh

64

698

In two Mines, employing 25 workers operation have resumed. 

2

Goa

10

161

3

Karnataka

142

40000(E)

4

Rajasthan

157

600 *

5

Haryana  

87

3595(P)

6

Tamil Nadu

2

16

7

Uttar Pradesh

12

525

* Figures indicates workers employed in major mines only.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Mines (Independent Charge) Shri Dinsha Patel in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today

SKS