The J&K government on Wednesday said single window clearance committees have been set up at district level for the execution of mining leases.

According to an order of the General Administration Department, District Level Single Window Committee(s) have been constituted in all districts of J&K for facilitating the execution of mining leases of e-auction for project proponents where clearance for the applications have not been received or are under process.
According to the order, there will be ten members of each committee in every district and it will be headed by the respective Deputy Commissioner.
The order said the other members include Additional Deputy Commissioner (Convener), Assistant Commissioner (Revenue), Divisional Forest Officer, Executive Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Executive Engineer, Jal Shakti Department, District Mineral Officer, District Officer Pollution Control Board, Assistant Director Fisheries and Wildlife Warden.
The committees have been tasked by the government to issue necessary clearance on behalf of all concerned agencies within 30 days “which may extend to 45 days in exceptional circumstances for reasons to be recorded in writing.”
“The terms of reference also include placing the matter before the concerned Divisional Commissioner in case of any delay for resolution,” the GAD order said.
As per the order, the concerned Additional Deputy Commissioner shall be the Nodal Officer for receiving Clearance/NOC applications at a single point.
“Sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of District Level Single Window Committee(s), with the following composition, for each district of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir for facilitating the execution of mining leases of e-auction for project proponents, where clearance/NOC applications have not been received or are under process,” the order said.
It said the committee shall be serviced by Directorate of Geology and Mining J&K, “which shall clearly indicate the nature of clearance /information to be sought from each stake holder department.”
Until the 2016 mining rules were enforced since the reading down of the Article 370, riverbed mining in the former state was carried out by local miners over small plots of land through short-term royalty contracts which were beneficial and sustained small contractors.
But the new rules mandate that the authorities hold auctions for minor mineral blocks, measuring not less than five hectares in area, with leases granted for a minimum of five years.
The first round of auctions under the 2016 rules was held in June 2019 but it didn’t evoke much enthusiasm. “Only five blocks were auctioned due to some internet issues,” said Vikas Sharma, director of the geology and mining department of Jammu and Kashmir.
In December 2019, this lack of enthusiasm did not stop the authorities from holding second round of auctions while the internet was suspended in Jammu and Kashmir, following sweeping political changes made by the Centre in August that year, enabling non-local contractors to bag most of the leases.
J&K was stripped of special status and split into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019 as the Centre unilaterally moved to read down the Article 35A, which enabled the erstwhile state to define its permanent residents and reserve certain rights and privileges for them.
Mining rights, which had been reserved for the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir, became open to all Indian citizens following the reading down of Article 35A