New Rules Revolutionize India's Strategic Mineral Management

The government has updated the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023, creating a formal category for critical and strategic minerals. Amendments enable offline applications for key projects and lengthen the validity of initial approvals. Compensation for forest diversion and revised afforestation rules enhance resource management.

The government has enacted notable changes in the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023, creating a formal category for critical and strategic minerals. This move allows offline applications in cases of national importance, permitting strategic projects to advance before receiving final clearances.

The revised rules specifically target minerals listed in the First Schedule of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and those under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. To address environmental considerations, areas with less than 33% forest cover now require compensatory afforestation, three times the diverted area on degraded forest land.

The notification extends the validity of in-principle approvals from two to five years, with possible extensions. Linear projects can now commence post-Stage-I approval if certain levies are paid. These amendments aim to streamline processes and strengthen compliance with environmental mandates.