New Mineral Policy in two months: Mines Ministry
New Delhi, Aug 17 : The government is giving final touches to the draft National Mineral Policy and is likely to announce it within two months, a Mines Ministry official said on Friday.
"The new policy aims to give a big boost to exploration activities. In three to five years, the exploration of minerals should gather momentum and double every year," Mines Joint Secretary Bipul Pathak said.
Pathak was speaking at a National Summit on Mineral Exploration and Sustainability, organised by industry body Ficci and International Institute of Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility (IICSR).
Responding to industry's concern over high taxes, the new policy will take cognisance of the recommendations on royalties and other levies to put a liberal regime in place, he said.
Pathak urged the private sector to step up investment in mineral exploration and assured industry that the government will extend financial and other support to junior exploration companies developed by the private sector.
Explaining the reasons for the lack of private investment in the sector, Vedanta Director Kishore Kumar called for making exploration blocks sustainable through offer of larger blocks and mining rights to companies doing reconnaissance work.
Making available technology and equipment developed indigenously to explorers and benchmarking of taxation with international norms were the other requests made by Kumar.
Essel Mining and Industries MD and Ficci Mining Committee Chair Tuhin Mukherjee stressed the need to develop a sustainability framework at the planning stage itself and called for introspection on the need to open mines wherever minerals were available.
Advocating for sustainable mining, IICSR Founder Harsha Mukherjee said the day is not far when the country's progress will be measured in terms of sustainable domestic production rather than its Gross Domestic Product.
Geological Survey of India Director General Dinesh Gupta spoke of the opportunities and challenges in expediting mineral exploration in the country.
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
