The revised Reclamation and Rehabilitation (R&R) Plan for ₹20,000 crore will be forwarded to the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC), according to Ramprasath Manohar, Deputy Commissioner.
The R&R plan prepared had to be implemented by KMERC, which acts as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), in areas that have been affected by mining activities in the district as per the directions of the Supreme Court.
As much as 10% of the sale of iron ore through e-auction was set aside for implementing the R&R plan.
It may be mentioned here that this is for the fourth time that the R&R plan is being revised in a span of four years. Briefing about the highlights of the plan prepared by district administration to elected representatives of the district here on Friday, Mr. Manohar said that the plan included setting aside ₹4,253 crore for drinking water projects; ₹1,782 crore for health; ₹2,927 crore for education; ₹806 crore for skill development training; ₹1,534 crore for environment restoration; ₹2,317 crore towards agricultural related activities; ₹3,538 crore for basic infrastructure development, among other things.
The plan, which has been prepared in consultation with all the stake holders, will be discussed at a meeting of KMERC on Saturday at Bengaluru in the presence of elected representatives and representatives from Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), he said.
Mr. Manohar hoped that FIMI would not raise objections unnecessarily so as to ensure that the plan could be executed to provide socio-economic benefits to people in the areas ravaged by mining activities.
Citing instances, he said that further delay in implementing the plan may lead to agitations by public, which may hamper the ongoing mining activities.
He also requested the elected representatives to take up with the State government in getting the green signal for the plan prepared.