Jaipur: The state govt has introduced significant amendments to the Rajasthan Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2017, offering relief to mine leaseholders while strengthening transparency and promoting sustainable mining practices.The changes were notified through the Rajasthan Minor Mineral Concession (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026.One of the key amendments provides for the allotment of “gap areas” — small unallocated parcels of land lying between two or more mining leases, quarry licences, forest boundaries or private land — through e-auction among adjoining leaseholders. The reserve price has been fixed at 25 times the annual dead rent for mining leases and 25 times the annual licence fee for quarry licences.“The successful bidder can now have the gap area merged with the existing mining lease. Where only one adjoining leaseholder exists, the gap area will be allotted directly on payment of a premium equivalent to 1.5 times the reserve price,” an official said.The amended rules also provide relief to leaseholders whose mining operations remained suspended due to orders of courts or the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The lease or licence tenure will be extended by the period during which mining remained closed, and no dead rent or annual licence fee will be charged for the closure period.“The benefit will also extend to leases that expired before the new rules came into force, provided the closure was not due to the leaseholder’s own default or negligence,” the official added.The notification further streamlines premium payment provisions by requiring successful allottees to deposit 30% of the premium before the issuance of the Letter of Intent (LoI), while the remaining amount must be paid before the execution of the mining lease deed.To promote environmentally responsible mining, the govt has also made the Star Rating system mandatory under a newly inserted Rule 34A.“Every mining leaseholder will have to submit an online self-assessment report in the prescribed Star Rating format before July 1 each year for the previous financial year,” an official said.Mining leaseholders will be required to achieve and maintain at least a three-star rating within three years of the commencement of mining operations or the notification of the rules. Failure to obtain or maintain the minimum rating, or to submit the annual assessment report, could result in a show-cause notice, suspension of mining operations and a penalty of Rs 500 per month, subject to a maximum of Rs 5,000.“Mining operations will be restored only after the mine meets the prescribed three-star standards,” the official said.
