In exercise of the powers conferred by section 18 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 1988, namely : These rules may be called the Mineral Conservation and Development (Amendment) Rules, 2016. They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.