Rajasthan to issue notices to 27,000 mine owners

In a major decision that will provide around 2.5 million unorganised mine workers with medical, monetary and social benefits, the Rajasthan government will issue show cause notices to 27,000 mine owners in the state.

The government also decided to give monetary compensation to silicosis-affected workers and Rs.3 lakh to widows of dead workers.

The decision was taken during a meeting on Tuesday evening presided by chief secretary CK Mathew.

"We are issuing instructions to our officers to collect information and update their database. We will share the information with the department of mines and geology," Sudhansh Pant, principal secretary, petroleum and mines, told HT.

The director general of mines safety will issue notices to 27,000 mines owners, asking them to submit their Form I within three months or face action. At present, 3,706 of the 30,000 mines are registered with the Department of Mines.

DK Saxena, director general of mines safety, Ajmer Zone, said if the mine owners still did not give information about the workers, they would be prosecuted after an inspection of the mines.