Centre to introduce bill in LS to allow auction of minerals mined offshore

New Delhi, July 27: The Central government will on Thursday introduce the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha, which seeks to allow auction of minerals mined offshore.

The bill, which will be introduced by Union Mines and Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi, seeks to amend the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002.

The original Act for offshore mining does not provide for auctions of minerals, and since the government is now keen on the auction route, therefore an amendment bill is now being brought in.

The objective behind the bill is to mine rocks under the sea.

The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act was enacted in 2002, however, no mining activity could be carried out from the sea bed owing to several pending litigations.

Meanwhile, the Centre will also try and get the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022, passed in the lower house.

Recently cleared by the Union Cabinet, the bill which was also referred to a joint panel of Parliament, seeks to amend certain enactments for decriminalising and rationalising offences to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business.