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Approval process for mining leases
Why is it in the news?
- The Centre is planning to scrap the need for State governments to take an approval from the Centre prior to granting a mining lease to companies.
More in the news
- The move would be among the government’s initiatives to speed up operationalisation of coal mines.
- The move, to be effected through an amendment in Parliament, will reduce the entire process by around a year.
- Currently, before granting a mining lease, the State Governments are required to put the proposed project, through a process called ‘prior approval’.
- Under the prior approval, state government had to file an application with the Centre seeking its nod for a project for which clearances had been already granted.
- The Centre plans to auction within this year 46 coal blocks with a total annual capacity of 100 million tonnes.
- Hoping to attract more players and operationalise the existing mines, the Coal Ministry is promoting ease-of-doing-business while also holding a series of such meetings in coal-bearing States.
Source
The Hindu.