Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh is of the view that there must be a 10-year moratorium on mining. “I am of the view that let there be 10-year moratorium on mining in certain areas and in these years train locals with an aim to make them a skilled workforce. This will help them graduate from unskilled labour to skilful employment,” he said here on Monday.

There has to be a balanced view on mining, he further said. “I am not for either of the extreme positions—banning mining entirely or unrestrained mining. We have to work out a case by case middle of the road approach.” 

“The way we have allowed mining up till now has only resulted in environmental degradation, influx of outsiders and displacement of the locals,” he said.

Admitting to government’s pathetic record in rehabilitation and resettlement, he said promises made by the government have not been fulfilled.     

Citing the example of Bailadila mines, he said people displaced there have not been resettled even today.

On the proposed changes in the mining bill, he said the clause on 26 percent equity sharing with people displaced by mining has been changed to 26 percent equity sharing with people.

There is a need to come up with a mining policy that is economically sustainable and socially beneficial to the locals, rural development minister Jairam Ramesh added. 

Another problem is the propensity of the states to acquire much in excess of the actual need and then not doing anything with the excess land. In Ranchi, the Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) acquired 5000 acre land and did not do anything on it for more than five decades. Now the government wants to build Indian Institute of Management there. Obvious it raises questions,” he said.