Centre simplifies clearance process for coal mining projects
The move, the government said, will not only expedite operationalisation of already allotted coal blocks, but also encourage prospective investors/bidders in future auctions.
"The Ministry of Coal has re-engineered the mining plan preparation and approval process. This is likely to slash the approval period substantially from existing 90 days to about 30 days," the ministry said in a statement
"The re-engineering process includes simplification of guidelines and format for preparation of mining plan, amendments in relevant provisions of Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 and approval process," it said.
The proposed simplified guidelines and format not only reduce the mining plan formulation time but also make the document lighter and easier to comprehend. This will further facilitate hosting the soft copy in an accessible data base, it added.
The proposed system of mining plan preparation and approval allows the leasee to get mining plan prepared by Mining Plan Preparing Agency (MPPA) and get it certified by Mining Plan Certifying Agency (MPCA) and submit the mining plan to the coal ministry for approval. This will improve the quality and reduce time for detailed scrutiny, it said.
"To ensure the quality of preparation of Mining Plan, government approved accrediting body will accredit agency(s) consisting a team of multi-disciplinary background, which will be recognised for preparation of mining plan and for certification (i.e. scrutiny from geo-mining & techno-administrative angles), government will accredit agency(s) consisting of multi-disciplinary domain experts, who will certify that the mining plan prepared by MPPA is in line with the prevailing guidelines and is complete in all respects," it said.
On certification by the MPCA, a committee in government will consider the mining plan for approval and the Centre will dispose application of within the stipulated period.
To further ease the system, the entire mining plan approval process is proposed to be made online for application, processing and approval in the next phase.
"This system will ultimately interact with PARIVESH portal of MoEF&CC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) and similar portals of other related ministries and organisations of the Central and state governments," it said. SID RVK