Amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957
The amendment will benefit lessees desirous of transferring the captive leases not granted through auction. It will also benefit banks and financial institutions. It does not entail any recurring or non-recurring expenditure on the Government.
Background:
The MMDR Act, 1957, as amended through the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, restricted the scope of transferability of concessions granted through auction. It was restricting the mergers and acquisitions of companies and was impeding the ease of doing business for companies dependent on supply of mineral ore from captive leases. The provision was coming in the way of banks and financial institutions to liquidate stressed assets where a company or its captive mining lease is mortgaged.