New Delhi, July 7: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday urged the Centre to delegate to the state the powers to grant prior approval and approve mining plans for coal, saying the move would enable thousands of small tribal coal-holders to obtain lawful mineral concessions and necessary clearances within the state.
During a meeting with Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy in New Delhi, the chief minister said Meghalaya’s unique land ownership system under the Sixth Schedule and its fragmented coal deposits require a different approach from the national model. Sutnga Saipung MLA Santa Mary Shylla accompanied him.
Sangma said land and mineral resources in Meghalaya belong to individuals, clans or communities and not to the state, a position affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2019. He added that the state’s thin and scattered coal seams are held in small family and clan parcels, making the existing framework unsuitable.
He also pointed out that since the National Green Tribunal restrained rat-hole mining in 2014, thousands of families dependent on small-scale coal mining have lost their livelihoods while the state has suffered significant losses in royalty, cess and tax revenue.
The chief minister said the minimum concession area of 100 hectares prescribed under the 2021 Standard Operating Procedure has effectively excluded most genuine coal-holders because such large contiguous land parcels rarely exist in Meghalaya. He also noted that it is impractical and expensive for small coal-holders to repeatedly travel to Delhi and the Indian Bureau of Mines office in Kolkata for approvals.
Recalling that the Ministry of Coal had, in principle, agreed to Meghalaya’s request in 2015, Sangma urged the Centre to issue notifications under Section 26 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, delegating powers to the state along with related powers under the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960, and the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2017.
A formal representation and a detailed note outlining the state’s position and the specific powers sought were submitted to the Union Minister.
At the meeting, Reddy suggested constituting a committee to examine the matter. Sangma welcomed the proposal, and a committee is expected to be constituted shortly.
Expressing hope for an early resolution, the chief minister said the proposed delegation of powers would enable thousands of families to earn “a lawful and dignified livelihood from their own mineral resources, under proper regulation and the close oversight of the State.”
