Lucknow: UP mining minister Babu Singh Kushwaha has become a mine of controversy himself. His clout is evident from the fact that as chairman of the UP State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA) he has brought the authority directly under the mining ministry, which has actually not much to do with industrial development.
A transparent mines regulatory regime is on the cards. The Union mines ministry plans to develop a Mining Tenement System, which will help in creating a transparent regulatory regime for prospecting and mining licences in collaboration with the state governments. Several states are already experimenting with similar systems and a sharing of experience as well as data will be in the overall interest of the mineral sector.
Minerals are a valuable natural resource being the vital raw material for infrastructure, capital goods and basic industries. As a major resource for development the extraction and management of minerals has to be integrated into the overall strategy of the country's economic development. The exploitation of minerals has to be guided by long-term national goals and perspectives.
