+
New Mines Act to Benefit Jharkhand and Nation, Says Ex-CM
COAL & MINING

New Mines Act to Benefit Jharkhand and Nation, Says Ex-CM

Former Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das defended the amended Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act as advancing the interests of the state and nation and criticised the JMM-Congress for creating confusion. At the BJP headquarters in Ranchi he said the legislation will promote legal mining with greater transparency and curb illegal extraction to ensure the state receives maximum benefit.

Das alleged illegal extraction of coal, sand and stone across districts such as Dhanbad, Bokaro, Chatra, Hazaribag, Sahebganj and Dumka. He said the Act will improve transparency in grants and licences and that Ninety per cent of tax revenue from mining goes to the state. He recalled the Centre introduced a district mineral fund for development of mining affected areas in 2015.

He noted that the Centre approved 34 coal blocks in the state but only four are operational and that the state had not begun operations in the remaining 30, which he said reflected a lack of seriousness. He added that out of 15 iron ore mines only six are active and 17 of 37 bauxite mines are producing, arguing that fuller operations would have generated substantial revenue. He blamed delays in operationalisation for constraining output.

Das criticised the government for highlighting a cess of Rs 110 billion (bn), contending that the levy had raised costs and reduced output and receipts. He cited government data showing coal production in Jharkhand at 44.78 million tonnes (mn t) in the first quarter, April to July, of the 2024-25 financial year, which he said fell to 37.25 mn t in the same period of 2025-26. He maintained that higher costs have weakened demand for state coal and iron.

He said coal of Grades eight to 12 in Jharkhand is priced at Rs 2,045 to Rs 3,212 per tonne, while the same grades cost Rs 1,514 to Rs 2,681 per tonne in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, affecting competitiveness. He called for a focus on operationalising blocks and mines to restore production and revenue potential.

Former Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das defended the amended Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act as advancing the interests of the state and nation and criticised the JMM-Congress for creating confusion. At the BJP headquarters in Ranchi he said the legislation will promote legal mining with greater transparency and curb illegal extraction to ensure the state receives maximum benefit. Das alleged illegal extraction of coal, sand and stone across districts such as Dhanbad, Bokaro, Chatra, Hazaribag, Sahebganj and Dumka. He said the Act will improve transparency in grants and licences and that Ninety per cent of tax revenue from mining goes to the state. He recalled the Centre introduced a district mineral fund for development of mining affected areas in 2015. He noted that the Centre approved 34 coal blocks in the state but only four are operational and that the state had not begun operations in the remaining 30, which he said reflected a lack of seriousness. He added that out of 15 iron ore mines only six are active and 17 of 37 bauxite mines are producing, arguing that fuller operations would have generated substantial revenue. He blamed delays in operationalisation for constraining output. Das criticised the government for highlighting a cess of Rs 110 billion (bn), contending that the levy had raised costs and reduced output and receipts. He cited government data showing coal production in Jharkhand at 44.78 million tonnes (mn t) in the first quarter, April to July, of the 2024-25 financial year, which he said fell to 37.25 mn t in the same period of 2025-26. He maintained that higher costs have weakened demand for state coal and iron. He said coal of Grades eight to 12 in Jharkhand is priced at Rs 2,045 to Rs 3,212 per tonne, while the same grades cost Rs 1,514 to Rs 2,681 per tonne in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, affecting competitiveness. He called for a focus on operationalising blocks and mines to restore production and revenue potential.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Madhya Pradesh Plans Airport Every 150 Km, Airstrip Every 75 Km

The Madhya Pradesh government plans to establish an airport every 150 km, an airstrip every 75 km and a helipad every 45 km, according to the state aviation department. Airports being developed in Ujjain and Shivpuri are expected to take the state’s airport count to 10. The government stated that Madhya Pradesh currently has eight airports in eight cities. The locations named by the department include Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Rewa and Satna. The state also has more than 20 airstrips and 220 helipads, while permanent helipads are planned in all 230 Assembly constituencies..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

West Bengal Plans Four Airports for 2028 Completion Under UDAN

West Bengal will develop four new airports under an agreement signed between the Union Civil Aviation Ministry and the state government, with all facilities targeted for completion by 2028. Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the airports would be located at Charra in Purulia, Kalaikunda in Paschim Medinipur, Balurghat in Dakshin Dinajpur and Hasimara in Alipurduar. The project is part of the Centre’s regional connectivity UDAN programme. The Union government has committed Rs. 290 bn for West Bengal’s aviation sector over the next decade, while the state government will pro..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Mumbai Airport Bars Russian Airlines as Agent Seeks Ministry Intervention

Mumbai airport has stopped accepting cargo booked on Russian flag carrier Aeroflot, disrupting shipments and prompting the airline’s cargo sales agent, Delmos Aviation, to seek intervention from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The restrictions also affect cargo booked on Volga-Dnepr Airlines, according to a letter submitted by Delmos Aviation to the ministry on September 30. Aeroflot operates daily flights between Moscow and Delhi and runs a winter seasonal service to Goa. Bonded cargo from Mumbai and other cities is transported by road to Delhi before being flown to Russia. The agent said t..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code