What is/are the purpose/purposes of ‘District Mineral Foundations’ in India? [2016]

What is/are the purpose/purposes of ‘District Mineral Foundations’ in India?

Promoting mineral exploration in mineral-rich districts is not an explicit objective of District Mineral Foundations (DMFs).

The primary purpose of the District Mineral Foundation is to promote the welfare and development of areas and people affected by mining activities, including safeguarding the interests of individuals impacted by such operations.

District Mineral Foundations are set up under Section 9B of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015. It is a trust set up as a non-profit body by State governments in districts affected by mining works.
It is a non-lapsable fund, separately set up for each district. It is funded through contributions from miners.
The mining companies are required to pay DMF 30% of the royalty amount for leases granted before 2015 and 10% for leases granted through the auction mechanism post-2015,
The operation and composition of DMF comes under the jurisdiction of the State Governments.
The central government may give directions regarding the composition and utilisation of funds by DMFs. The DMFs are expected to implement the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana using the funds.
- PMKKKY was launched in 2015 to provide for welfare of areas & people affected by mining-related operations.

District Mineral Foundations do not have the authority to grant licenses for mineral exploration, as this power rests with the State Governments.