CAG’s 2015 report on Goa mining

The CAG’s performance audit report on mining in Goa was recently released. Of the 88 leases renewed, only 3 leases were executed and registered by July 2015 (the last were renewed on 12-Jan-2015). Large errors were observed in the stamp duty amount collected in two cases. The stamp duty to be collected was Rs. 14.25 crores. Instead, only Rs. 9.75 crores …

CAG finds Rs.9,000 cr mining losses in Odisha

The Financial Express reports that the CAG’s Performance Audit of mining in Odisha has found 17 companies benefiting to the extent of Rs. 9,000 crores. Further, the Integrated Mines & Minerals Management System (i3MS), considered the best in India, is far from satisfactory. Out of 43,464 e-permits for 188.60 million tons of iron ore, only 19,053 (44%) permits for 88.39 (47%) million tons …

Sand storms approaching

Sand is a mineral and often thought to be renewable. However, the world is actually running out of sand. Sand is also a huge corruption and governance problem across the planet and its turned deadly. And its worst in India. M. Rajshekhar recently wrote a devastating 3 part series (one, two and three) on sand mining in Tamil Nadu. For the first …

Consultations on the District Mineral Foundations 

Goa’s District Mineral Foundation Rules have been notified by the government. Unfortunately, the Goa DMFs do not comply with the mining laws, in particular the PMKKKY (Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana). Already over Rs. 30 crores have been collected. However, a recent legislative assembly question disclosed that no plans have been drawn up to utilize the funds, as required by the notified DMFs …

Water for future generations

The Paani Foundation, a spin-off from the Satyamev Jayate TV show, has done an outstanding pilot in three talukas in Maharashtra. Over 100 villages participated in the Paani Cup. This involved sending villagers for training in watershed management, and then actually building water harvesting structures in 45 days in peak summer, just before the monsoon. Future generations played a key part in …