Context:
Odisha’s Keonjhar district is India’s highest recipient of funds under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) scheme, and has spent ₹3,000 crore under the scheme over the past seven years, but the district has only recently finalised who the real beneficiaries are.
Relevance:
GS II: Government Policies and Intervention
Dimensions of the Article:
- About District Mineral Foundation
- About Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY)
About District Mineral Foundation
- DMFs are statutory authorities that a State Government sets up in districts affected by mining.
- The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act of 2015 established DMFs.
- They are non-profit trusts to work for the interest and benefit of persons and areas affected by mining-related operations.
Objectives
- As required by the law, a DMF’s main objective is to promote the welfare of those communities and persons who have been adversely affected by mining.
- The State Government is of the opinion that poor locals, including tribal members, have a right to profit from the exploitation of natural resources nearby.
About Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY):
- The programme is meant to provide for the welfare of areas and people affected by mining related operations, using the funds generated by District Mineral Foundations (DMFs).
Objectives of the scheme:
- To undertake various welfare and development projects/programs in mining-affected areas that complement currently-running State and Central Government projects and plans.
- Reduce or offset the negative effects of mining on the environment, human health, and socioeconomic conditions of those who live in mining districts.
- To ensure the impacted population in mining locations has long-term, sustainable means of subsistence.
-Source: The Hindu
