Centre Proposes Faster Mining Lease Execution

29 Jan 2026 CW Team

The Ministry of Mines has proposed regulatory changes to accelerate mineral production from auctioned blocks by allowing partial execution of mining leases.

Under the draft Mineral (Auction) Second Amendment Rules, 2026, companies may be permitted to begin mining operations in non-forest areas of a block even if forest clearances for other portions are still pending. The move is expected to enable states to grant approvals more quickly and reduce delays in the commencement of production.

According to officials, the forest portion must be located at the edge of the block and should account for less than 20 per cent of the estimated mineral resources. The proposal also allows separate execution of leases for forest and non-forest areas without reducing the upfront payment amount.

In addition, the Ministry plans to shorten the time between issuing the letter of intent and executing the mining lease. A unified online mining portal is also proposed to automate processes such as auctions, payments and lease execution.

These measures are aimed at boosting mineral output, improving operational efficiency and attracting greater investment into India’s mining sector, strengthening the country’s resource development framework.

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

VECV Sales Rise 7.8 Per Cent In May 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles recorded sales of 7,978 units in May 2026, compared to 7,401 units in May 2025, registering growth of 7.8 per cent. This included 7,789 units from the Eicher brand and 189 units from the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,789 units during the month, up 7.3 per cent from 7,258 units a year earlier. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 9.1 per cent to 7,375 units from 6,758 units in May 2025.Exports declined 17.2 per cent to 414 units from 500 units in the corresponding month last year. Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses recor..

Table Space Strengthens DESYN Leadership Team

Table Space has announced strategic leadership appointments within DESYN, its integrated Design and Build business, as it looks to strengthen operations across key enterprise and GCC markets in India. DESYN was launched as a strategic extension of Table Space’s workspace solutions portfolio to meet rising demand for agile, high-quality and rapidly deployable enterprise workspaces.Shruti Ookabhoy has joined DESYN as Executive Director and will lead the Design vertical, focusing on design capability, operational excellence and team development across markets. She brings over 22 years of experi..

Concord Associate Bags Rs 2.79 Bn Kavach Order

Concord Control Systems said its associate company, Progota India, has received a Rs 2.79 bn domestic order from Indian Railways for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of on-board Kavach 4.0 loco equipment.The order is scheduled for execution within 12 months and strengthens Concord’s role in India’s railway safety and signalling ecosystem. Kavach is India’s indigenous automatic train protection system, designed to improve operational safety by helping prevent signal passing at danger and reducing collision risks.Gaurav Lath, Joint Managing Director, Concord Control Syst..