The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021 is a central legislation that reformed India's mining sector by removing the distinction between captive and non-captive mines, opening deep-seated mineral exploration to private entities, and streamlining auction processes.

• It enhances commercial flexibility by allowing captive mines to sell up to fifty percent of their annual mineral production in the open market after meeting primary operational requirements.
• It prevents the stalling of mining operations by facilitating the seamless transfer of valid statutory clearances to new leaseholders during ownership transitions.
• It accelerates resource discovery in critical and strategic minerals by enabling private sector participation in early-stage exploration.

In GS Paper III, UPSC frames questions on this legislation around economic governance, industrial growth, and resource security. Candidates are expected to critically evaluate how structural reforms in raw material access balance national manufacturing goals with environmental sustainability and federal revenue sharing.

• Government policies and interventions GS2
• Liberalization GS3

• CAA
• Data Protection Bill
• Farm Laws
• The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021
• The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021
• The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022
• The Mediation Bill, 2021
• The National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021