New Delhi, July 7: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday urged the Centre to delegate powers to the state government to approve coal mining plans and grant prior approvals for coal mining, saying the move would enable thousands of small tribal coal-holders to legally mine coal without having to seek clearances outside the state.
During a meeting with Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy in New Delhi, Sangma requested the Government of India to delegate the powers under Section 26 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, allowing the state to grant previous approvals and approve mining plans. Sutnga-Saipung MLA Santa Mary Shylla also accompanied the Chief Minister.
Sangma said Meghalaya’s situation is unique as it is a Sixth Schedule State, where ownership of land and the minerals beneath it rests with individuals, clans and communities rather than the state government. He noted that this legal position was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2019, which recognised tribal ownership of land and minerals while requiring compliance with the provisions of the MMDR Act for mining operations.
The Chief Minister pointed out that coal deposits in Meghalaya are found in small, scattered seams owned by individual families and clans, unlike the large coal blocks found in other parts of the country. He said the existing national framework does not suit the state’s unique geological and land ownership patterns.
He further informed the Union Minister that since the National Green Tribunal’s ban on 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 revenues.
Sangma also raised concerns over the minimum concession area of 100 hectares prescribed under the 2021 Standard Operating Procedure, stating that the requirement has effectively excluded genuine small landholders from obtaining mining leases. He said such large contiguous landholdings are rare in Meghalaya, making it nearly impossible for individual tribal owners to qualify. He also noted that it is impractical and financially burdensome for small miners to travel repeatedly to Delhi and the Indian Bureau of Mines office in Kolkata to obtain approvals.
Recalling that the Ministry of Coal had, in principle, agreed to Meghalaya’s request for relief in 2015, the Chief Minister urged the Centre to issue the necessary notifications delegating powers to the state under Section 26 of the MMDR Act, along with related provisions under the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960, and the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2017. A formal representation and detailed proposal were submitted to the Union Minister during the meeting.
Responding to the request, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy suggested the constitution of a committee to examine the matter. Sangma welcomed the proposal, and a committee is expected to be formed shortly.
The Chief Minister expressed hope that the move would pave the way for thousands of families in Meghalaya to earn a lawful and dignified livelihood from their own mineral resources under a regulated framework and the oversight of the state government.
