Editor’s Note
The Rajasthan government’s decision to maintain Kota stone’s classification as a minor mineral provides regulatory stability and significant relief to the region’s small-scale stone industry.
The Rajasthan government has given a gift to Kota stone entrepreneurs even before the New Year. Kota stone will remain in the minor mineral category. This will provide major relief to small-scale Kota stone entrepreneurs. The previous rules will continue to apply for Kota stone mines.
Arvind Saraswat, Joint Secretary of the state government’s Mines and Petroleum Department, has issued an order declaring limestone (Kota stone) as a minor mineral. With this, the major troubles of mining leaseholders and the clouds of uncertainty looming over the Kota stone trade have cleared.
The central government had issued a notification in October, including all types of limestone in the major mineral category. Kota stone was also included in this. After the notification, Kota stone entrepreneurs had taken to the streets in protest, and business had come to a halt. Under the notification, royalty was to be doubled, and there was a provision for mines to be allocated through auction instead of allotment. This would have led to the entry of large industrial houses.
Kota stone entrepreneurs from Kota and Ramganjmandi had met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and informed him about the problems arising from the notification including Kota stone in the major mineral category, and requested relief. Following this, a meeting was arranged between Kota stone entrepreneurs and officials of the central mines department in New Delhi, and Birla spoke to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
Subsequently, the state government issued a revised order. The Limestone Mining Association and the Kota Stone Small Scale Industries Association have expressed gratitude to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
When the central government’s notification was issued, Rajasthan Patrika had raised the issue and published a news report on October 31. Then, on December 10, it published another report. Sarvjit Singh Anand, President of the Limestone Mining Association, praised Rajasthan Patrika and thanked them for prominently publishing the news.
Narendra Kala, President of the Kota Stone Small Scale Industries Association, and KSSIA Secretary Akhilesh Medatwal stated this.
