JAIPUR: Rajasthan is set to introduce a reservation system in mines allocation.
Quotas will be reserved for SCs, STs, women, young entrepreneurs and differently-able persons in the new mining policy which is at the final stage of preparation.
In a review meeting of the mines department, mines and petroleum minister Pramod Jain Bhaya gave directions to the mines department to create provisions for reservations so that the growth becomes inclusive and employment opportunities are created.
The state had some form of reservation previously, especially in allocation of quarries, but they were scrapped in 2011-12.
Currently, there are hardly any states in the country where such a reservation in allocation of mines exists, said representatives of the mines industry.
The minister’s meeting with the officials of the mines department comes three days after the chief minister’s review of the mines department.
The department is currently working on the preparation of the draft on reservation quota in mines allocation and is expected to be ready in a fortnight.
Additional chief secretary, mines and petroleum, Subodh Agarwal said, “We are working on the draft and it will be ready very soon.
After that the final draft will be sent to the finance and law departments for vetting.” When asked for details of the quota system, Agarwal declined to flesh out further saying they are working on the draft and it has not been finalised as yet.
However, when TOI spoke to representatives of the mining industry, they said that reservation will not yield the inclusive growth the government wants to achieve.
“We should not go back.
We have to move ahead.
I doubt that reservation will achieve the objectives that the government is looking to achieve,” said an industry representative preferring anonymity.
Rather, the government should focus on illegal mining which is going on without much hurdle.
Bhaya, too, admitted that illegal mining needs to be curbed and directed the officials to strengthen vigilance.