Mineral fund to be used for public relief

Tribune News Service

Solan, March 29

The Union Finance Minister’s announcement to allow the district administrations to use District Mineral Foundation Fund to mitigate Covid-19 can help the district administration to provide relief to the common man.

Key issues like doorstep delivery of essential items like milk, food and medicines can be initiated using these funds.

A local-level delivery chain of traders willing to deliver these commodities at home should be initiated at the earliest so that there was minimum movement of people.

Additional District Magistrate, Solan, Vivek Chandel, said mechanisms were being developed to begin home delivery of essential items in the district soon.

This fund, which was set up in June 2017, has the mandate to collect 10 per cent of the royalty paid to the state government in case of minor minerals.

The users of major minerals like the cement plants are supposed to pay 30 per cent of their royalty and it is applicable for all cases where the mining lease has been granted before January 12, 2015.