The draft law has been pending for more than two years, getting caught time and again in a crossfire of objections by state governments, as well as stakeholders such as miners over key provisions on profit and royalty sharing.
"A consensus has been reached on all the provisions of the proposed law," Mines Minister Dinsha Patel told reporters. "We will seek approval of the cabinet at the earliest."
Once the cabinet approves the draft law, it will be placed before parliament for ratification.
Under the proposed law, miners would have to pay for the welfare of people displaced by their projects, an amount equal to their annual royalties, Forest and Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told reporters.
Local people often resist land acquisition moves because of what they say is inadequate compensation and a fear of loss of livelihood, resulting in project delays. Read the full report here.
Source: by Rajesh Roy, Wall Street Journal, New Delhi.
