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Amid opposition, Parliament passes bill aimed at boosting private investment in mining sector
Assuring members in Rajya Sabha, Union mines minister Pralhad Joshi said the “progressive” bill will not curb the powers of states.
The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021, aimed at boosting private investment in the mining sector even as opposition parties demanded a select committee scrutiny of the bill.
“We want to bring private players into this because we have rich minerals like coal, gold, silver, but we are not being able to bring it out. That’s why we are bringing these changes and trying to redefine exploration,” Union mines minister Pralhad Joshi said in Parliament.
Assuring members in Rajya Sabha, Joshi said the “progressive” bill will not curb the powers of states while creating more jobs. “I assure you that not a single iota of power of the states will be snatched or taken away by this bill.” Joshi also responded to the opposition’s call for a select committee probe on the bill.
“Wide consultations on the bill were held. The bill was circulated to states and 10,500 comments were received. As many as 10 associations and six NGOs had recorded their comments,” the minister said. “As many as 143 mines have been given to states. Since 2015, these mines are with them. Neither those were allotted nor auctioned. Who suffered the loss? We are importing coal despite having the 4th largest resource of coal,” Joshi stated.
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Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Jairam Ramesh, among other opposition members, pressed the government to send the bill to a select committee for scrutiny.
“Eleven parties in House have requested that the bill to be referred to a select committee... consensus today is that the bill should go to select committee but the government is unlikely to agree and respect this consensus... by passing this bill, today we are going against the general consensus,” Ramesh said.
During the discussion on the bill, Digvijay Singh said, “Don’t treat this bill as you had done with the farm laws.”
AIADMK’s M Thambidurai said the minister should ensure that states’ rights are not taken away.
Joshi said the bill’s objective is to generate employment in the sector and enhance the contribution of the mining sector in the total GDP of the country.
“The major reason why we are lacking in the mining sector is that we do not have explored mines. Only 10 per cent of the Obvious Geological Potential (OGP) area has been explored so far and out of that we are mining only 5 per cent of the OGP,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm amid an uproar over corruption allegations in Maharashtra during the Question Hour.
