Section 3 in The Mineral (Non-exclusive Reconnaissance Permits) Rules, 2015
3. Grant of non-exclusive reconnaissance permit.
(1)The State Government may grant a non-exclusive reconnaissance permit in respect of any mineral other than a mineral notified as a minor mineral as defined in clause (e) of section 3 and minerals specified in Part A and Part B of the First Schedule to the Act, subject to such terms and conditions specified in these rules.(2)The State Government shall establish an online system for receipt of applications and grant of a nonexclusive reconnaissance permit.(3)An application may be made to a State Government in the format specified in Schedule I annexed to these rules for grant of a non-exclusive reconnaissance permit over any area,-(i)which is not held under a reconnaissance permit, prospecting licence, a prospecting licence-cum-mining lease, mining lease; or(ii)where the State Government has not initiated auction process for grant of a prospecting licence-cum-mining lease or mining lease.(4)The State Government may grant more than one non-exclusive reconnaissance permit over any area.(5)An applicant for grant of non-exclusive reconnaissance permit shall meet the eligibility conditions specified in section 5 of the Act for grant of a reconnaissance permit and shall submit an online application for grant of non-exclusive reconnaissance permit as per the format specified in Schedule I alongwith an online payment of a fee calculated at the rate of one thousand rupees per square kilometre.(6)An online acknowledgement shall be provided to the applicant on submission of an application under the provisions of sub-rule (5).(7)The State Government shall dispose of the application made under the provisions of sub-rule (5) within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of a duly completed online application and may either issue a non-exclusive reconnaissance permit or reject the application for reasons to be recorded in writing and the letter to grant or reject the non-exclusive reconnaissance permit shall be posted online which shall be available for download by the applicant:Provided that in case an application is rejected, the fee made under sub-rule (5) shall be refunded to the applicant after deduction of an amount of ten per cent. of such fee.(8)The non-exclusive reconnaissance permit shall be issued in the format specified in Schedule II and shall be subject to the terms and conditions specified therein.(9)The maximum area for grant of non-exclusive reconnaissance permit shall not exceed the maximum area for reconnaissance permit specified in section 6 of the Act and the period for grant of non-exclusive reconnaissance permit shall be as specified in sub-section (1) of section 7 of the Act for reconnaissance permit.(10)The State Government shall allow the Indian Bureau of Mines to access the online system for grant of a non-exclusive reconnaissance permit and shall also communicate in writing to the Indian Bureau of Mines the grant or rejection of the non-exclusive reconnaissance permit made under sub-rule (7).(11)The grant of a non-exclusive reconnaissance permit over any area shall not prohibit the State Government from notifying all or any part of such area for grant of a mining lease or a prospecting licence-cum-mining lease and upon such notification the validity of all non-exclusive reconnaissance permits over such notified area will stand automatically terminated:Provided that the State Government shall communicate in writing such automatic termination to every holder of non-exclusive reconnaissance permit over such notified area.
