Mines Ministry News

The Mines Ministry will soon approach the Cabinet to get approval for National Mineral Exploration Policy (NMEP) that will pave the way for auction of 100 prospective mineral blocks, boosting India's mining potential.

The Coordination-cum-Empowered Committee CCEC, which is chaired by the Mining Secretary, will also discuss ways to encourage exploration of minerals as well as the status of framing the rules for minor minerals.

Ahead of auction of non-coal minerals, the Mines Ministry has extended the leases of government companies which had applied for renewal in time.

The Mines Ministry will look into the issue of import duty on scrap, special additional duty and trade pacts with countries, Union Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said today.

The Union Cabinet on Monday cleared mines ordinance, that would pave the way for auction of iron ore and other minerals as proposed in the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill.

"The Posco project work has not started. However, we are optimistic about implementation of the project," Odisha Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallick told the state Assembly last week.