At a time when it is being regularly embarrassed via information disclosed through the Right to Information Act — the latest being the Finance Ministry’s controversial note on 2G — a wary UPA has issued a circular to all states, ministries and departments asking them not to draw “inferences” or make “assumptions” or provide “opinion” or “advice” in RTI replies.   Citing a Supreme Court ruling in an RTI-related case, the two-page...

For non-coal firms, amount will be equivalent to their royalty The Union Cabinet on Friday approved the landmark Mines and Mineral Development and Regulation (MMDR) Bill, 2011 that provides for mining companies to keep aside 26 per cent of their net profits for a Mineral Development Fund to be used for the development and rehabilitation of project-affected people in tribal areas. For the non-coal companies, the amount will be equivalent to...

The Mines and Mineral Development and Regulation (MMDR) Bill, 2011 approved by the Union Cabinet on Friday aims to ensure transparency, equity, elimination of discretion, effective redress and regulatory mechanisms along with incentives encouraging good mining practices, which will lead to technology absorption and exploitation of deep seated minerals. The menace of illegal mining in Karnataka and Goa continues unabated despite strong outrage against it. As many as 82,000 cases were...

-The Hindu   ‘The mechanism for compensating the affected people is not clearly defined and has many limitations' Industry chambers led by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and FICCI on Friday sought a review of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill, 2011 approved by the Union Cabinet stating that the industry was concerned on royalty, profit sharing and the methodology of providing assistance to project-affected persons. In a statement here, Rana Som,...

-PTI   Dubbing union cabinet’s approval of the Mines Bill, 2011 as “too little and too late”, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said it would not help poor people living in mineral rich areas. Mr. Patnaik’s reaction came shortly after the union cabinet approved the new Mines and Mineral Development and Regulation (MMDR) Bill, 2011. Stating that the new bill has provision for 26 per cent profit sharing on coal and an additional...