National District Mineral Foundation Portal

About National District Mineral Foundation Portal: 

• It is a centralized platform to gather the information on the District Mineral Foundations across the country.
• Aim: The aim for launching this portal is to facilitate the access to the DMF data and track the developments and utilizations thereunder. 
• This portal provides details of 645 DMFs in the country with enhanced transparency, featuring centralized visibility of activities, project oversight, and dynamic analytics, as well as a repository of best practices for effective implementation.

Key facts about the District Mineral Foundation, non-profit body 

• It is a trust set up as a non-profit body under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Act 2015.
• Purpose: To work in the interest and benefits of persons and areas affected by mining-related operations in a manner as may be prescribed by the respective State Government.
• Funding: It is funded through the contributions from the holders of major or minor mineral concessions in the district, as may be prescribed by the Central or State Government.
• Jurisdiction:
  • The operation of DMFs falls under the jurisdiction of the relevant State Government. 
  • The composition and functions of the District Mineral Foundation shall be such as may be prescribed by the State Government.
  • The fund for DMF is collected at the district level.

Q1: What are Critical Minerals?

A mineral is critical when the risk of supply shortage and associated impact on the economy is (relatively) higher than other raw materials. These minerals are essential for economic development and national security, and their lack of availability/ the concentration of extraction/ processing in a few geographical locations could potentially lead to supply chain vulnerabilities.

Source: Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy Launches Mineral Exploration Hackathon and National DMF Portal in Hyderabad