The mines ministry is reviewing the progress of mine operationalisation on a monthly basis and has expressed concern over instances where miners have not started operations despite securing clearances and signing leases, Mines Secretary Keshav Chandra said at the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries' (FIMI's) 60th annual general meeting on Tuesday in New Delhi.

He said that some miners had received all clearances and had their leases signed but had still not started operations. Chandra said the government was concerned about the practice and urged FIMI members to take it seriously.

He said the ministry was reviewing not only operationalisation but all the stages involved in the process every month. The secretary said mining operations begin only after an arduous process involving various clearances, including forest and environmental clearances and state government approvals.

“After all that approval, once the mining lease is signed, then as per the Act, he (the miner) has to operate within a given time frame. And it is a substantial long time frame which is given. But despite that, some of the operations do not start. So it is actually affecting India’s mineral wealth. The production gets compromised,” he said.

The secretary also said the government would soon announce incentive schemes for lithium and nickel processing. “The Ministry of Heavy Industries is also working in tandem. They have already floated two schemes for lithium and nickel; very soon we will be launching our scheme,” he said.