Date: 2025-06-25Category: Not ApplicableState: Tamil NaduCountry: India
TAMIL SUPPLEMENT -- LABOUR WELFARE AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT--Draft Notifications--Notification--NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT--Notifications--Errata
This is a summary of the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, issued on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. It includes government notifications regarding labor welfare, skill development, and natural resources. The Gazette includes draft amendments to rules concerning factories, small mineral concessions, and granite quarrying.
* **Labor Welfare and Skill Development Department:**
* Cancellation of Notification No. (SRO A-19/2023) published on 17-05-2023, which was on pages 38-47 of Part III Section 1(a) of the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette.
* Draft amendments to the Tamil Nadu Factories Rules, 1950, are proposed, with a 45-day period for objections. Objections should be sent in duplicate to: The Director of Industrial Safety and Health, Thiru. Vi. Ka. Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai – 600 032 through the Secretary to Government, Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
* The amendment concerns Rule 4, sub-rule (6), adding a condition for fireworks factories. The maximum number of people allowed should not exceed 15% of the number specified in the license under the Explosives Act, 1884 and the Explosives Rules, 2008.
* K. Veera Raghava Rao is listed as the Government Secretary.
* **Natural Resources Announcements:**
* Amendments to the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959 are made by the Governor of Tamil Nadu, exercising powers under Section 15 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
* **Announcement I**
*Minimum and Maximum Lease Period*:
* Previously, coarse stones were not cut. The minimum lease period for cutting coarse stones is not less than one year. The maximum period does not exceed 15 years for an area up to five hectares, 20 years for an area greater than five hectares and less than ten hectares, and 30 years for an area up to ten hectares.
* The lease term for hard stones is ten years for an area up to five hectares, 15 years for an area greater than five hectares but less than ten hectares, and 25 years for an area greater than ten hectares.
* However, a lessee who has already received a short-term lease for rough stones may apply to the Assistant Director of the Geological and Mining Department at least 180 days before the expiry of the lease period for an extended lease period in the form prescribed in Appendix VI and in accordance with sub-rule (9) of Rule 41.
*Quarry Lease Consolidation*:
*Regardless of the authority that granted the quarry leases, be it the State Government, the District Collector or the Assistant Director of the Department of Geology and Mining, two or more adjacent leases held by the lessee may be consolidated for reasons of mineral development and for written reasons.
*Prior to applying for the consolidation of quarry leases, prior approval must be obtained from the Chief Inspector of Mines under Regulation 111 of the Metallifrrous Mines Regulations, 1961.
*Each application for such consolidation shall be submitted to the authority issuing the quarry lease with an approved revised mine plan and revised environmental permit for the areas to be consolidated.
*The term of such consolidated lease shall expire with the term of the lease expiring first."
* **Announcement II**
*The following amendments are made to the Tamil Nadu Small Mineral Concession Rules, 1959.
* Rule 8-C is replaced, stating that the State Government may extract minor minerals including granite or grant a quarry lease for minor minerals including granite to a government-owned or controlled company or corporation.
* The application for granite quarry lease should be submitted to the District Collector or District Forest Officer in the form in Appendix VII with a non-refundable application fee of Rs.5,000/- and the documents specified in the application form.
* For minor minerals (excluding granite) and minerals mentioned in Appendix I-B, the application should be submitted to the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining Department in the form in Appendix VII-C with a non-refundable application fee of Rs.1,500/- and the documents specified in the application form.
* An acknowledgement of receipt of the application shall be issued by the District Collector or District Forest Officer or Assistant Director of Geology and Mining Department or an officer authorized by the District Collector or District Forest Officer or Assistant Director of Geology and Mining Department, as the case may be, in the form specified in Appendix IX to these Rules.
* The District Collector or District Forest Officer, as the case may be, should forward the applications received for grant of granite quarry lease to the State Government through the Director of Geology and Mining within thirty days from the date of receipt of the applications. The State Government shall issue an order granting or refusing to grant the lease to the applicant.
* In the case of minor minerals (excluding granite) and minerals mentioned in Appendix I-B, the Assistant Director of the Department of Geology and Mining shall issue an order granting or refusing to grant the lease to the applicant.
* In the event that the State Government decides to grant the granite mining lease, the State Government should notify the applicant of the area to be demarcated for lease. Once information is received from the State Government in this regard, the applicant must submit a scheme for consolidating the approved minerals within three months from the date of receipt of such information or within a period not exceeding three months as may be permitted by the State Government.
* With regard to minor minerals other than granite and minerals specified in Appendix I-B, where the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining decides to grant the lease, the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining shall inform the applicant of the area demarcated for the grant of the lease. On receipt of information from the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining, the applicant shall submit a scheme for excavating the approved minerals within three months from the date of receipt of such information or within a period not exceeding three months as may be permitted by the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining.
* The period for which a quarry lease is granted for granite mining shall not exceed thirty years at the upper limit:
* The minimum period for which such a lease is granted shall not be less than twenty years.
* With regard to minor minerals other than granite and minerals specified in Appendix I-B, the period for which a quarry lease may be granted shall be in accordance with Rule 20 of these Rules.
* Where the lease has been granted, a lease document should be executed in the form in Appendix I-A to these Rules within three months from the date of receipt of the order or such additional time as the Director of Geology and Mining may allow for this purpose.
* Prior to executing the lease deed, a security deposit of Rs.40,000/- (Rupees Forty Thousand only) for granite or Rs.10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand only) for non-granite minor minerals should be submitted to the concerned office by way of a crossed demand draft drawn from any nationalized bank in the name of the District Collector or District Forest Officer or Assistant Director of Geology and Mining.
* The quarry lease period will commence from the date on which the lease deed is executed.
* The granite lease granted under this rule may be renewed for a period not exceeding twenty years.
* A renewal application must be submitted at least twelve months prior to the expiration of the lease.
* The application for granite lease renewal must be accompanied by the current operational plan for extracting minerals in an efficient manner
* The terms and conditions governing the grant of granite lease under this rule shall apply to the renewal of the lease under this rule with due modifications.
* The lessee shall pay, in addition to the rate assessment, whichever is higher of license fee or penal rent at the rates prescribed in Appendix II of these Rules from time to time. The lessee shall also pay other taxes levied by the State Government from time to time.
* Subject to the terms and procedures specified in these rules, the lessee may, after obtaining transport permits and dispatch slips from the District Collector or District Forest Officer or Assistant Director of Geology and Mining, or any other officer authorized by the District Collector or District Forest Officer or Assistant Director of Geology and Mining, transport the mineral from the leased area to another location.
* The lessee shall take effective, scientific and planned steps to quarry, keeping in mind the proper safety of workers, the protection of minerals, and the environmental and ecological security of the area.
* For any of the purposes specified in sub-rule (10) or to implement or follow the terms or conditions relating to the lease or the orders under this Act or in any other law or rules made by the Central Government or the State Government or for any other purpose, the State Government and the Director of Geology and Mining or the District Collector or the District Forest Officer or any officer authorized by the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining shall be allowed to enter and inspect the area.
* Granite wastes resulting from the area leased for granite quarrying may be sold as a material for road construction or as a raw material for manufactured sand production or for any other purpose with the permission of the District Collector. The rate of royalty for granite wastes will be Rs.100/- (Rupees Hundred only) per tonne.
* Rule 41 is amended to include "8-C."
* The phrase "or as the case may be, the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining" is added and includes "minerals specified in Appendix I-B.”
* Various segments of this rule are removed
* Rule 42 is removed in its entirety
* The heading is replaced in form I-A in Annexe I-A
*“The form for the lease of mining and transporting granite and other minor minerals by the State Government owned or state controlled governmental agency or group.”
* New section VII-C is being created
* **Announcement III**
* Granite waste should only be removed by a leaseholder with payment of green fund and DMF, without the consent of District Collector.
* N. Arul, Director (Kupo), Tamil Development and News Translation Department.
* K. Paneendra Reddy is listed as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Government
Key Entities Referenced
Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959: Governs the concession of minor minerals in Tamil Nadu, subject to amendments.
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957: A central act providing for the development and regulation of mines and minerals.
District Collector: Key official involved in granting permissions related to minor mineral concessions.
Director of Geology and Mining: Responsible for aspects related to mining operations including revenue collection.
Tamil Nadu: The geographical area where this policy applies.