New Delhi The government is set to consider a proposal for a complete ban on private-public joint ventures (JVs) for developing mineral blocks allocated to state-run corporations and public sector undertakings under a special dispensation. The move would hit the plans of Adani Mining, Moser Baer, Vedanta, Monnet Ispat and the Jaypee Group, among others, in the minerals and metals business.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has voiced his opposition to some provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Bill-2011, stating that the bill if enacted in the current form would be a departure from federal structure of the constitution.

Pointing out that regulation of mines and mineral development is basically a state subject, Patnaik said that the MMDR Bill attempts to transfer certain powers and functions being exercised by states to the Centre.

PANJIM: The minor mineral extractors in the state will now have to seek permission from union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) before applying for the licence with the state Mines and Geology department, according to an order issued the Mines department on Thursday following Supreme Court directives.

The directives stated that the leases of minor mineral including their renewal for an area of less than five hectares be granted by the States/Union Territories only after getting environmental clearance from the MoEF. The order was passed on February 27, in a petition filed by one Deepak Kumar and other v/s state of Haryana.

The Chawla Committee Report reveals that the government's legal references and disclosures to the Supreme Court on the MMDR Act is not the whole truth, which could be an additional reason for the report gathering dust.

The Ministry of Mines has framed a new MMDR Bill 2011 to replace the old MMDR Act 1957 which has been referred to the GoM and vetted by the Law Ministry. The review

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested former deputy conservator of forests (Bellary) S Muthaiah and former deputy director of mines and geology department (Hospet, Bellary) S P Raju in connection with an illegal mining case involving the Associated Mining Company (AMC).

The AMC is owned by former tourism minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and his wife Aruna.Muthaiah and Raju have been named accused number seven (A-7) and accused number 22 (A-22) in the case.

New Delhi Keen to stay clear of the minefield of scandals and lawsuits, the Union mines ministry has asked the attorney general (AG) whether mining lease applications can be disposed of under the first-come-first-served (FCFS) policy, until upcoming legislation makes auction mandatory.

The ministry's concern is that granting mineral concessions through FCFS policy might attract strictures from the Supreme Court and run afoul of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's stated position on the matter.Over 400 pending mining lease/licence execution cases are waiting for the ministry's no-objection certificate, before states can process the lease.

The coal ministry today said no irregularities were reported in the allotment of coal blocks to commercial entities during 2004-09. "Out of 218 coal blocks, a total of 174 coal blocks are allocated to 267 companies during the period 2004-09," the Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakashbapu Patil said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Following the Supreme Court warning that the first-come-first-serve system for granting mineral concessions may be misused “by unscrupulous people,” the mines ministry has sought legal opinion on how to treat the applications, which are being currently processed. It has sought the law ministry’s views on whether to process them on the first-come-first-serve mechanism or to introduce any other system.