Congress MP from Shillong Vincent H Pala has written a letter to the Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, urging him to amend the Meghalaya Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 2016 in connection with payment of royalty by lessees for limestone supplied to industries other than lime kiln.
“At present, there is no provision in the Meghalaya Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 2016 for payment of royalty by lessees with regard to limestone supplies to industries other than lime kiln. Such a provision is there in the Himachal Pradesh Mining Rules,” Pala told the Chief Minister, who also holds Mining and Geology portfolio.
The Himachal Pradesh Minor Minerals (Concession) and Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining Transportation and Storage) Rule, 2015 states that “as and when the limestone is supplied by the lessee to the industries other than lime kiln, royalty shall be paid by the lessee for the lime as a major mineral, whichever is more.”
The Lok Sabha MP from Shillong suggested that a suitable provision in the Meghalaya Mining Rules is made, so that the State Government’s revenues could be also appropriately augmented.
Pala said that the amendment could provide benefit and bring overall improvement of the economic life of the people in the State.
