Coal Mines (Taking Over of Management) Act,1973
Act No : 15
Section : PRELIMINARY
COAL MINES (TAKING OVER OF MANAGEMENT) ACT, 1973
15 of 1973
31st March, 1973
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS Coal is the most important indigenous source of commercial energy in India. It is available in adequate quantities in India, though much of it is poor in quality and the reserves are unevenly distributed among different regions of the country. With the recent nationalisation of 214 coking coal mines in Bengal-Bihar region, the development of metallurgical coal has been brought under the control of the Government except in case of captive coal mines of the private steel plants.
The non-coking coal mines, however, still predominantly continue to remain in the hands of the private sector, the public sector undertakings namely National Coal Development Corporation, Bharat Coking Coal and Singareni Collieries Company contributing only 1/3rd of the total national production. Most of the production of non -coking coal in private sector comes from Bengal-Bihar region where the collieries are concentrated. These collieries are small in size, financially weak and are worked on unscientific lines, the colliery owner's sole object being to earn quick profits without any regard to the conservation and safely of mines or to meet their obligations to the workers.
This has resulted in the stagnation of production in many collieries and closure of many others. It is envisaged that in order to meet, by 1978-79, anticipated demand ofcoal, large scale efforts would be necessary to raise the production to which the private sector alone is expected to contribute an additional quantity of 19 million tonnes, requiring an investment of Rs. 100 crores during the next 6 years. It is felt that in the existing circumstances the private sector wilt not be able to fulfil these obligations.
It is, therefore, proposed to nationalise the non-coking coal mines as early as possible. Since such nationalisation will take some time, the management of the non-coking coal mines pending nationalisation thereof, was taken over by the Central Government under the Coal Mines (Taking over of Management) Ordinance, 1973. The Bill seeks to replace the said Ordinance. -Gaz.of.Ind.,2-3-73, Pt.II.S.2,Ext.,p.95.
An Act to provide for the taking over, in the public interest, of the management of coal mines, pending nationalisation of such mines, with a view to ensuring rational and co-ordinated development ofcoal production and for promoting optimum utilisation of the coal resources consistent with the growing requirements of the country, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Be it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows:
CHAPTER 01: PRELIMINARY
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