New Delhi, Aug. 10 -- The government on Monday introduced the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, proposing a series of changes to the existing mining framework, including allowing leaseholders to add multiple minerals to an existing mining lease, expanding the scope of mineral exploration funding and removing the cap on the sale of minerals from captive mines.

The Bill seeks to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, with a focus on facilitating mineral exploration and development, particularly of critical and strategic minerals, while providing greater flexibility to mining lease holders.

Under the proposed amendments, holders of a mining lease granted for...