The Lok Sabha has passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025. The bill will further amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. The Bill provides that lease holders may apply to the state government for adding other minerals to an existing lease. For inclusion of critical and strategic minerals, and other specified minerals, no additional amount needs to be paid.  These include minerals such as lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, gold, and silver. The Act establishes the National Mineral Exploration Trust to fund mineral exploration in the country.  The Bill widens the scope of the Trust to also fund development of mines and minerals. Under the Act, captive mines are allowed to sell up to 50 percent of minerals produced in a year, after meeting end-use requirements. The Bill removes the limit on sale of minerals. The Bill provides for establishing an authority to register and regulate mineral exchanges.  

 

 

Replying to a discussion, Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said that the mining sector is an important pillar and critical minerals are essential for the renewable energy and electric mobility. He said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a transparent mechanism has been adopted for the allocation of mines. Accusing the previous UPA government, the Minister said, earlier the mines were auctioned without due-diligence resulting in corruption.

       

 

Participating in the discussion, Malvika Devi of BJP said, the mining sector has been held hostage to out-dated laws and regulatory constraints which restricted the ease of doing business during the previous government. She said, this bill is a beacon of transparency. G Laxminarayana of TDP also supported the bill saying that this bill will bring transparency in the mines sector.