Hyderabad | Dec 15, 2017: The state government has failed to collect Rs 1,058 crore for the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) from mining companies and leasers since January 2015. The Centre established DMFs in 307 districts in the country affected by mining-related issues. The DMF is operational in 12 mineral-producing states and Telangana has DMFs in 30 districts. The money collected from mining companies is used by the DMF to supply drinking water and to put in place pollution control measures and to develop roads and bridges. The state government has to collect Rs 1,644.59 crore for the DMF from January 12, 2015, to September 30, 2017. But it could only collect Rs 586.15 crore. The Centre amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act in 2015 and established the DMF to benefit people and areas affected by mining-related issues.

The DMF is funded by the statutory contributions from mine leasers. The Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) is being implemented by the District Mineral Foundation. At least 60 per cent of the PMKKKY funds are set aside for drinking water, environment preservation and pollution control measures, healthcare, education, welfare of women and children, and sanitation. The rest of the funds are used for enhancing environmental quality in the mining-hit districts.

So far, the DMF is operational in districts in AP, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. The rate of contribution to DMF is 10 per cent of royalty in respect of mining leases granted on or after January 12, 2015, and 30 per cent of royalty in respect of mining leases granted before January 12, 2015. So far, Rs11,028 crore has been collected by various states.

Out of 30 districts with DMF, the Telangana government has set up governing councils and managing committees in Manchiryal, Rajanna, Sircilla, Jagityal, Suryapet, Khammam and Nalgonda. Under the PMKKKY, the state government is implementing 64 projects in Medak, Suryapet, Warangal (urban) Jayashankar, Bhupalpally and Jagityal, costing of Rs 6.68 lakh.

The projects are related to primary health centres, roads, rainwater structures and others. The TS government has to collect Rs 611 .77 crore in the 2015-16 period from coal and other mining leasers but collected only Rs 3.57 crore, leaving a balance of Rs 608.20 crore. In the 2016-17 period, the government has a backlog of Rs 450.24 crore.

(Source: https://www.deccanchronicle.com/)