(1) In forests land and government land (including land belonging to Urban Development Authorities, Urban Improvement Trusts, Municipalities or any other Authority under the control of the State Government etc.), the mining lease or quarry licence shall be granted through auction after delineation of the area using global positioning system or global navigation satellite system:
Provided that in case of mineral bajri (river sand), delineation of the area may be done by using global positioning system or global navigation satellite system or khasra-wise.
(2) In delineation, as far as possible, the area of plots (other than mineral bajri (river sand)) shall be kept
4.00 hectare or more.
(3) The Director may reserve upto five plots, per district per year, of mineral masonary stone exclusively for establishment of M-sand unit.
(4) The Director may reserve plots for grant of mineral concession with pre-embedded clearances. In such cases, the required approvals and clearances shall be obtained by the Department.
(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules, in notified scheduled areas,-
(i) for mineral masonary stone, one third of total delineated plots shall be kept reserved for the persons belonging to schedule tribes category who are domicile of notified scheduled areas;
and
(ii) for mineral bajri (river sand), priority shall be given to the registered society of persons belonging to schedule tribes category who are domicile of notified scheduled areas.
(6) In existing major mineral leases where mining of minor mineral can be done independently, the leases of minor mineral shall be granted with prior approval of the Director by way of e-auction subject to condition that after allotment of lease, the lessee of such minor mineral shall not cause any hindrance in the working of major mineral lessee.
(7) For grant of mining lease or quarry licence under this rule, the Government may issue guidelines.]