Section 12(4A) in The Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2017
(4A)[ In case of mining leases covered under sub-section (6) of section 8A of the Act where the date of expiry of the period of such lease is on 31st March, 2020, the holders of such mining lease shall carry out General Exploration (G2) over the entire mineralised area under the mining lease before the 1st day of April, 2019 and for this purpose,-(a)submit to State Government and the Indian Bureau of Mines, within forty five days of issue of this notification, a modified mining plan in accordance with the provisions of the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016 for completion of General Exploration (G2) over the entire mineralised area under the mining lease as required under clause (a) of rule 5 of the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, in such manner that the plan for exploration is completed before 1st April, 2019, and such plan shall be approved by the Indian Bureau of Mines within thirty days of its submission, with or without any modification;(b)prepare and submit to the State Government and the Indian Bureau of Mines, a Geological Study Report as required under clause (b) of rule 5 of the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, within one month after completion of exploration work:Provided that the depth of exploration to be proposed in the modified mining plan for open cast mining shall be up to 300 meters or up to discontinuance of ore body, whichever is earlier, and in case of underground mines, the depth of exploration shall be decided by the Indian Bureau of Mines on case to case basis at the time of approval of such plan, depending upon the geological set up of the area:Provided further that the State government shall conduct periodical technical audit of approved modified plan either by itself or through an agency nominated by it and in case lease holder fails to perform his duties as so specified, the State Government may, after giving the lease holder an opportunity of being heard, take such action for enforcing compliance, as it deems fit.] [Inserted by Notification No. G.S.R. 289(E), dated 27.3.2018 (w.e.f. 27.2.2017).]
