Consider the following statements : In India, State Governments do n

Consider the following statements :

In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines.
Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines.
Rajasthan has iron ore mines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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1 and 2

2 only

1 and 3

3 only

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2018

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The correct answer is D) 3 only.

– Statement 1 is incorrect. Under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act), as amended, State Governments have the power to grant mineral concessions (Prospecting License and Mining Lease) for most non-coal major minerals. The MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, made the auction of mineral concessions for specified minerals mandatory, and the auction process is conducted by the State Governments.
– Statement 2 is incorrect. Andhra Pradesh does have gold deposits and has historically mined gold (e.g., the Kolar Gold Fields extended into AP, and there are deposits like Ramagiri). Jharkhand also has known occurrences of gold, including historical small-scale mining. Therefore, claiming they “do not have gold mines” is false.
– Statement 3 is correct. Rajasthan is one of the significant iron ore producing states in India, with deposits found in districts such as Jaipur, Udaipur, Bhilwara, and Sikar.

The MMDR Act, 1957 is the principal legislation governing the mining sector in India. The Central Government has the power to regulate minerals, but the administration of minor minerals is entirely delegated to the State Governments, while major minerals (excluding coal, petroleum, etc.) are jointly regulated, with states being the grantors of concessions under the central law.

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