Published from Mumbai, Delhi & Bhopal

75 pc jobs in mines will have to be given to bona fide residents of the state: CM

Entire mineral-related process should be transparent and online

Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the lease holders of minor mineral mines will have to provide 75 percent employment to the bona fide residents of the state. Tainted officers will not be tolerated; corrupt officials should be immediately removed from service. Chouhan said that the online system should be strengthened by making all the mineral related procedures transparent. The major minerals and minor minerals available in the state are a major source of royalty. We will have to make every effort to get 100 percent royalty of the extracted mineral. The state government may also consider creating a separate force for the protection and management of mineral resources. Chouhan was discussing the proposed amendments in the Minor Mineral Rules and District Mineral Foundation Rules in Mantralaya.

Chouhan said that sand is a great source of royalty. It is necessary to develop a legal alternative and ensure its implementation to bring the royalty which is not being received by the state government due to the illegal activities related to it to the state fund. Illegal sand mines will be brought into legal process. Chouhan said that it is necessary to set guidelines and priorities from the state level to ensure proper use of the excess funds that come in the mineral foundation of districts.

The meeting held discussion on the annual receipts of the District Mineral Foundation and their utilisation. Discussion was held on the proposal to constitute a committee to get the schemes for the annual work of the District Mineral Foundation from the state level approved, increase the amount to be transferred from the District Mineral Foundation to the State Mineral Fund, and to approve and supervise the development work to be done from the amount collected in the state fund. Discussion was also held in connection with the rights of the District Collector and Minister in charge in the District Fund and the management of the State Fund.

Discussion was also held during the meeting on inclusion of 31 major minerals in minor minerals, disposal of granite, marble, slab-stone wastes, allotment of slab stones and stone mines on government land by lease instead of auction, fixing of powers of lease approval and revision of royalty rate of minor minerals.

The royalty rate of M-sand (Manufactured sand), an alternative to river sand, was also discussed. It may be noted that it is being included as a new minor mineral. This is also included in the SOR of Public Works Department.

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