Bhubaneswar: District Mineral Foundations (DMF) in Odisha’s mineral bearing districts will start working from March this year. The Odisha Mines Minister Mr. Prafulla Mallick has directed all the District Collectors in the State last week to open District Mineral Foundation (DMF) account by Mar’16. The government will start transferring funds from April this year.
The DMF is a trust that would function as a non-profit body to ‘work for the interest and benefit of persons, and areas affected by mining related operations’. After years of deliberations, the urgency of sharing the benefits of mining with the poor in the mining areas had been recognised. The Mine and Minerals Development and Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2015, had created provisions for sharing the mineral wealth with communities in the mining areas.The Act (Section 9B) now provides for the establishment of the District Mineral Foundation (DMF). The Government will provide the funds for DMF from April 2016.
As per the rules, miners who have allotted mining lease prior to Jan’015, will contribute 30% of their royalty and lease holders who have granted mining lease will have to contribute 10% of their royalty.
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