Bill permitting private agencies to mine atomic minerals cleared

Parliament passed a bill allowing the private sector to mine key atomic minerals and deep-seated minerals in India. The move aims to reduce dependency on imports and promote exploration and mining of critical minerals, including lithium, gold, silver, copper, and zinc. The bill also introduces exploration licenses for deep-seated and critical minerals and removes certain minerals from the list of atomic minerals. The involvement of private agencies is expected to bring advanced technology, finance, and expertise to the sector.