News

In a bid to prevent lease applications from lapsing, the Ministry of Mines has issued an order asking state governments to grant mining lease to certain applicants even if they do not have environment clearance. The Union ministry’s order is only applicable to cases where application was submitted before January 2015, when a crucial amendment was passed. The order, dated January 4, states that no mining activity will be allowed until the environmental clearance is obtained. The latest development has prompted confusion, experts say. It allows mining leases for projects that have a letter of intent from respective state governments and were in process of procuring clearances before Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act of 2015, was passed. The amendment, which mandated the grant of mining leases only through auctions, allowed a two-year-long period to older applicants to obtain a lease. Come January 12, the window ends. The ministry’s order prevents more t

Other proofs of identity will be allowed till March 31 From April 1, workers in rural areas enrolled under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which mandates 100 days of work for a household a year, must have Aadhaar. Those who have registered themselves under the scheme will be required to give proof of possession of Aadhaar or undergo the enrolment process till March 31, a senior official in the Cabinet Secretariat said. However, ration card, driving licence, voter identity card, Kisan passbook with photo, job card issued under the MGNREGS and a certificate issued by a gazetted officer or a tehsildar will be admissible as proof of identity for the people to get the benefits till they get Aadhaar. Those who have applied for Aadhaar can produce their enrolment slip or a copy of the application for getting the 12-digit unique identification number. “Orders are being issued to make enrolment of Aadhaar mandatory for the States such as Jammu a