Shillong: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma announced that the Meghalaya government has received 36 applications for scientific coal mining in the state.
Of these, four applications have secured prior approval for a mining lease, while 13 have received previous approval for a prospecting license.
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Sixteen applications are still awaiting approval for a prospecting license, and three have been withdrawn.
In a statement presented in the Assembly on Thursday, Sangma informed that four applicants have already submitted their mining plans, which are currently under review by the authorities.
The Meghalaya chief minister also clarified that, according to norms set by the Government of India, the minimum area required for obtaining a prospecting license is 100 hectares.
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Addressing concerns about illegal mining practices, Sangma emphasized that rat-hole mining cannot be classified as scientific mining.