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UPSC Prelims 2025 GS Paper 1, question 89

Topic: Polity and governance

Q89

Consider the following statements :

Statement-I : In India, State Governments have no power for making rules for grant of concessions in respect of extraction of minor minerals even though such minerals are located in their territories.

Statement-II : In India, the Central Government has the power to notify minor minerals under the relevant law.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  2. (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  3. (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is not correct
  4. (d) Statement-I is not correct but Statement-II is correctCorrect answer

Solution.

Answer: (d) Statement-I is not correct but Statement-II is correct

  1. Statement-I is incorrect: under Section 15 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, State Governments are explicitly empowered to make rules for regulating the grant of quarry leases, mining leases, and other mineral concessions in respect of minor minerals.
  2. Statement-II is correct: under Section 3(e) of the MMDR Act, 1957, the Central Government has the power to notify and declare any mineral to be a 'minor mineral' in the Official Gazette.