PremiumThe Ministry of Mines said the QCI-NABET will grant accreditation to private exploration agencies to undertake prospecting operations of minerals in accordance with the standards and procedures of the scheme
The Modi government on Wednesday said it has adopted a scheme developed by the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training of the Quality Council of India (QCI-NABET) for accreditation of private exploration agencies to undertake prospecting operations of minerals.
The Ministry of Mines said the QCI-NABET will grant accreditation to private exploration agencies to undertake prospecting operations of minerals in accordance with the standards and procedures of the scheme.
"The interested private exploration agencies shall be required to obtain accreditation in accordance with the scheme and thereafter apply to the ministry for their notification under the second proviso to sub-Section (1) of Section 4 of the Act," the mining ministry added.
The mining ministry said the guidelines for the private exploration agencies containing detailed procedures, terms, and conditions have been published on its official website.
"Ministry of Mines has published the scheme for accreditation and guidelines for notification of accredited private exploration agencies on the official website of the Ministry...," the ministry said.
The government early this year amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, (MMDR Act) through the MMDR Amendment Act, 2021, with effect from March 28, 2021. It empowers the Centre to notify entities, including private entities, that may undertake prospecting operations, subject to such terms and conditions as may be specified by the Centre.
"With the view to increase the pace of exploration in the country and to bring advance technology in exploration of minerals, it has been decided to notify private exploration agencies to undertake prospecting operations under the second proviso to Section 4(1) of the MMDR Act," it said.
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