CM Chouhan to encourage mining activities in the Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the economy has been affected by Covid. Mineral activities give impetus to the economy. It is our resolve to extend maximum cooperation in fulfilling Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s resolve of self-reliant India. Every effort will be made to speed up mining activities in the state. It will be our endeavour to auction more than one hundred mineral blocks in the state by 2022.

Chief Minister Shri Chouhan was discussing with the Union Mineral Minister Shri Prahlad Joshi through video conferencing on mineral related issues of the state. Union Minister of State for Minerals, Shri Rao Saheb Danve from Delhi also participated in the video conference. State Mineral Minister Shri Brijendra Pratap Singh, Chief Secretary Shri Iqbal Singh Bains, Principal Secretary Mineral Resources Shri Sukhveer Singh were also present.

Expedite the auction of mineral blocks

Union Minister Shri Prahlad Joshi said that mineral activities contribute to the basic economy. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi intends to expedite the auction of mineral blocks by simplifying the processes in the mineral sector to build a Atma-nirbhar Bharat. For this, necessary reforms have also been made in various laws. Proceedings are underway under Ease of Doing Business. Expressing satisfaction over the ongoing activities for auction of blocks in Madhya Pradesh, the Union Minister said that the next auction process should be conducted by fixing the time table.

Need for coal gasification in the state

Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that coal reserves are abundant in the state. The coal mining work in the state is being done by the public sector companies of the Government of India. Instructions should be given to these companies to work for coal gasification and liquefaction in Madhya Pradesh. This will help in protecting the environment and enriching the source of energy. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that survey is going on for the discovery of rare minerals in Betul and Chhatarpur districts by the Geological Survey of India. This work should be completed within the time limit. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan also requested to revise the royalty rates of limestone.

Office of Indian Bureau of Mines should be started in Bhopal

Chief Minister Shri Chouhan requested the Geological Survey of India and MECL to provide technical support in the exploration and auction process of mineral blocks in the state. A request was also made to start the office of Indian Bureau of Mines in Bhopal. The Chief Minister Shri Chouhan demanded to fix the average price of glauconite mineral useful for fertilizer production. Discussions regarding de-reservation of reserved areas since 1961 in Balaghat and Chhindwara districts by MOIL (Manganese Ore India Limited) were also held in the meeting.

Arrangement should be made to approve mineral lease on area less than 5 hectares

Chief Minister Shri Chouhan expressed the need to relax the provision of not granting mineral lease on less than 5 hectare area and to re-fix the notified royalty rates of major minerals from 2014. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan also requested to reconsider the ban imposed by the Atomic Mineral Division in view of the possibility of uranium in the Maddevra Rock Phosphate block of Chhatarpur. Union Mineral Minister Shri Prahlad Joshi assured of speedy action.

Revenue of Rs 4446 crore received from minerals in the year 2020-21

It was informed in the meeting that revenue of Rs 2908 crore was received in the year 2020-21 from 831 mines of main minerals in the state. In the year 2020-21, revenue of Rs 1538 crore was received from 6338 mines of minor minerals. The target is to get revenue of about 30 thousand crores for 50 years from the mineral blocks to be auctioned in the coming years.