Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel has taken an important approach of promoting ease of doing business in the mining sector in the state. In this context, he has announced amendments to the mining rules with the objective of publicity and administrative simplification in the Gujarat Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules-2022.
According to the important reforms made by the Chief Minister, henceforth private landowners in the state will be allotted leases for all secondary minerals up to 4 hectares without public auction at a premium as per the application based rules.
Not only this, the approval, NOC, environment clearance, forest clearance and revenue opinion etc. received in that area will be considered valid at the time of new approval. This means there will be no need to take such approvals again.
The Chief Minister Mr. Bhupendra Patel has also decided to amend these rules that the deadline for approval of pending ‘saved’ cases which was to be completed in 2022 has been extended for three more years i.e. till 2025.
The CM has also made another important amendment which will give financial relief to the lease holders, the interest rates on arrears have been reduced by 6 per cent. The current rate of interest has been reduced to 12 percent from 18 percent.
According to other amendments made in the mining rules, all technically qualified bidders from among the bidders who participated in the first phase of the public auction will be able to participate in the second phase.
Apart from this, for the purpose of not increasing the financial burden, the bidder will be given the facility of upfront payment in three stages.
The Chief Minister Mr. Bhupendra Patel has also made such an amendment in these rules that the lease holder can return such lease area in case the mineral quantity is complete or mining cannot be carried out in a scientific manner.
As a result of these reforms announced by the Chief Minister in the mining sector, the eco system of mining industries that has emerged in the state will be further simplified. Transparency in the mining sector will increase and processes will become faster.
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