The State Government of Tamil Nadu vide its notification dated 23rd February 2022 has amended the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959 by inserting a new section IV-A.
As per the amendment, Green Fund shall be constituted under section IV-A in every District for reclamation, restoration and rehabilitation of abandoned mines or quarries.
Every holder of a prospecting licence or a quarry lease of any mineral shall, in addition to the seigniorage fee, contribute to the Green Fund of the District in which the mining or quarry operations are to be done, an amount at the rate of ten percentage of the seigniorage fee:
Provided that if the minerals are transported to a destination outside the State, the contribution to the Green Fund shall be twenty percentage of the seigniorage fee.
Every District Collector shall constitute a Committee under his Chairmanship called as the Reclamation, Restoration and Rehabilitation Committee. The Committee shall recommend policies for the reclamation, restoration and rehabilitation and its allied activities, manage, administer, supervise, monitor and review the expenditure of the Green Fund at regular intervals and facilitate the promotion and better utilization of the quarried site and make inspections and investigations necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of these rules.
