Panel Urges Faster Mine Start-Ups After Auctions

23 Dec 2025 CW Team

A Parliamentary panel has flagged persistent delays between mine auctions and the start of operations, urging the government to consider setting up an inter-ministerial committee to monitor post-auction progress for mineral and critical mineral projects.

In its latest report, Self-Reliance in Minerals and Metals, the Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel said that despite policy initiatives and simplified exploration norms, projects continue to face hurdles due to lengthy regulatory clearances, inadequate exploration, forest clearances even at the exploration stage, and significant time lags between auctions and operationalisation.

The committee recommended prioritising critical mineral projects for statutory approvals and proposed an inter-ministerial group to oversee post-auction milestones with a mandate to fast-track mine development. It also suggested considering penalties for delayed operationalisation and incentives for faster production to improve compliance and efficiency.

Acknowledging reforms undertaken between 2015 and 2023, the panel noted substantial changes to modernise India’s mineral sector regulatory framework. Key amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act included introducing auctions for granting mineral concessions, setting a uniform lease period of 50 years in place of renewals, notifying private exploration agencies, and amending the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act to allocate operating rights through auctions.

Since 2015, a total of 486 mineral blocks have been auctioned, including 462 by state governments and 24 by the Centre. The committee said closing the gap between allocation and production is critical to securing mineral supplies and advancing self-reliance goals.

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Second Mountain Tunnel Breakthrough in Palghar Advances High Speed Rail

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail (MAHSR) project reached a milestone with the breakthrough of a mountain tunnel in Palghar, Maharashtra. Mountain tunnel MT-six measures 454 metres long and 14.4 metres wide and will accommodate up and down tracks. The breakthrough follows MT-five near Saphale on second January 2026 and the MT-six excavation was completed from both ends using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. The ministry reported that the tunnelling was completed within 12 months. The New Austrian Tunnelling Method is favoured for its flexibility in complex geology and irregular tunnel s..

Modi Government Pushes Atmanirbhar Container Drive With BCSL MoU

The Union Government advanced a plan to create an integrated, domestically anchored container ecosystem with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL). The MoU was signed by key agencies including the Shipping Corporation of India and Container Corporation of India alongside major port authorities and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in the presence of senior ministers. The initiative aligns with the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme announced in the Union Budget 2026–2..

Ministry Reports Gains In Mobility For Marginalised Communities

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing skill development, education and rehabilitation schemes to promote socio-economic mobility and sustainable livelihoods for marginalised and disadvantaged communities across the country. Programmes target Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Economically Weaker Sections, De-notified Tribes and Safai Karamcharis through specialised implementing corporations and empanelled training institutes. Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana, or PM-DAKSH, provided skill training and placement support through the Nati..