By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Monday said that Section 9B of MMDR Act, 1957 empowers State Governments to establish District Mineral Foundation (DMF) to work for the welfare and benefit of persons, and areas affected by mining related operations and make rules for composition and functions of the DMFs in the State. Further, Section 15(4) of MMDR Act empowers State Governments to frame rules for regulating the working of the District Mineral Foundations in the State. Accordingly, DMF has been set up in 644 districts in 23 States.
The Union Government under section 20A of the MMDR Act 1957 circulated Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) guidelines on 16.09.2015 with directions to State Governments to incorporate the same into the DMF rules framed by them. To bring accountability and transparency to the PMKKKY scheme, provision has been made in the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) guidelines to audit the accounts of DMF every year by the Chartered Accountant appointed by the DMF, or in such other manner as the Government may specify, and the report thereof shall be placed in the public domain along with the Annual Report of the DMF.
Further, to enhance transparency and accountability in DMF while highlighting the contribution of the Foundation towards the welfare of the people, Ministry of Mines has requested the Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) to take up special audit of DMF and in response the CAG has informed that the same has been taken up in the annual audit plan of FY2023-24.
