Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has notified a comprehensive revision of royalty rates and dead rent applicable to minor minerals across the Union Territory by substituting Schedule-I and Schedule-II of the Jammu and Kashmir Minor Mineral Concession, Storage, Transportation of Minerals and Prevention of Illegal Mining Rules, 2016.
The notification has been issued by the Mining Department in exercise of powers under Section 15 read with Section 23C of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and Rule 99 of the 2016 Rules.
The notification, issued by Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Mining Department, Ashwani Kumar, states that the revised schedules will replace the existing provisions governing royalty and dead rent on minor minerals in Jammu and Kashmir.
The new Schedule-I prescribes royalty rates for various categories of minor minerals on a per metric tonne basis.
For dimensional stones, royalty has been fixed at ₹70 per MT for limestone used for making Devri stone, Hamam slabs, grave stones and other domestic items, while sandstone used as dimensional stone and Baramulla (Phyllitic) slabs will attract ₹33 per MT each.
Under decorative stones, marble, granite, slate and basalt (dressed blocks) used for sawing into slabs and tiles will attract a royalty of ₹299 per MT, while granite, marble, slate, basalt, sandstone and limestone used for manufacturing chips will be charged ₹70 per MT.
For rocks and minerals used for building purposes, limestone specified by the Central Government and used in kilns for manufacturing building lime has been fixed at ₹70 per MT. Limestone used as masonry stone and road metal, including rubble and phandai, will also attract ₹70 per MT. Basalt, quartzite, granite and sandstone used as masonry stone and road metal will carry royalty of ₹33 per MT for rubble and ₹46 per MT for phandai.
In the category of nallah boulders, bajri and sand, royalty has been fixed at ₹46 per MT for nallah boulders, crushed stones, masonry stones, nallah muck, nallah bajri, ordinary sand/silt and GSB from Karewas. Crushed bajri and screened sand will attract ₹52 per MT, while screened pebbles will also be charged ₹52 per MT. Karewa sand, mainly used in brick making or other purposes, will attract ₹26 per MT.
For clays, royalty has been fixed at ₹26 per MT for clay other than that used for brick manufacture, clay used for manufacturing bricks, brick kiln debris and ordinary earth. Bentonite and fuller earth will attract ₹111 per MT, while China clay has been fixed at ₹91 per MT and gypsum at ₹117 per MT. Royalty on corundum has been fixed at 5 per cent of the sale value, while all other minerals not specifically listed will attract royalty at 15 per cent of the pit-mouth value.
The government has also revised the annual dead rent payable by mining leaseholders through the new Schedule-II.
For mining leases up to five hectares, the dead rent has been fixed at ₹4,680 per hectare per annum for the second to fifth year, ₹9,360 for the sixth to tenth year and ₹14,040 for leases beyond ten years.
For leases above five hectares but not exceeding ten hectares, the rates have been fixed at ₹6,500, ₹13,000 and ₹20,540 per hectare per annum for the respective periods.
For mining leases above ten hectares, the dead rent has been fixed at ₹11,212, ₹22,425 and ₹33,670 per hectare per annum for the second to fifth year, sixth to tenth year and beyond ten years, respectively.
The revised schedules will now govern the levy of royalty and dead rent on extraction of minor minerals across Jammu and Kashmir, replacing the earlier schedules contained in the 2016 Rules. The notification has been circulated to all administrative departments, Deputy Commissioners, the Director of Geology and Mining, Divisional Commissioners, the Managing Director of J&K Mineral Limited Corporation and other concerned authorities for implementation.
