Jaipur | April 03, 2016: Finalization of mining rules in the state is caught up in disagreement between mines and finance department. Mines department's proposal, stressing on omitting the provision of auctioning of minor minerals, has been repeatedly rejected by the finance department.

Facing flak over corruption issue, the state government is unwilling to take risk in giving mining leases. In a new policy, it has proposed the auctioning of minor minerals on the lines of major minerals by the Central government. However, the mines department has raised objection to it.

According to officials, the auctioning of three cement blocks was conducted once but it couldn't generate much enthusiasm. "Finance department wants to grant leases of all the lands whether they belong to forest or agriculture through auctioning. It was done for the cement blocks but response was not encouraging. We requested them to allow us to grant licences without auctioning which they have rejected," said an official.

Rajasthan has already issued its mineral policy but rules to implement it are yet to be finalized. A committee was also constituted to finalize it but in absence of consensus rules were not chalked out.

Officials also claim that auctioning is successful only for major blocks where the area is huge. "There are agencies that are involved in prospecting (finding the amount and nature of minerals). In minor minerals, the area is small and department lacks needed staff and drilling machines," the official added.

Meanwhile, the Central government has asked Rajasthan to submit a feedback report on the auctioning of cement blocks. The directorate of mines has submitted it to the state government, however, it is yet to be forwarded to the Centre.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)