CSE Regional Media Briefing Workshop, Ranchi, Jharkhand: July 3, 2015

CSE organised a Regional Media Briefing Workshop? on July 3, 2015 in Ranchi, Jharkhand? on ?District Mineral Foundations (DMFs). DMFs were? created recently by the Government of India for the benefit of communities impacted by mining.

Over 45 journalists from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, three states where mining is a key activity participated.

Mining is known to benefit governments, companies and individuals -- but not the people who live around the mined land. The country’s most mineral-rich states and districts have the poorest people. According to poverty estimates by the Planning Commission for 2011-2012, in the three top mining states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha, the proportion of population below the poverty line is nearly 40 per cent, much higher than the national average of 21.9 per cent.

CSE's Director General Sunita Narain, and CSE's Deputy Director-General Chandra Bhushan? held a briefing? on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015 and ?DMFs. Lunch was followed by a lively panel discussion on ?Sharing Benefits with Communities: Challenges and Opportunities. The panelists included Santosh Kumar Satapathy, Principal Secretary?, Department of Mines & Geology, Jharkhand?; Sonali Das, Bureau Chief?, The Times of India, Ranchi?; Ramesh Sharan, Head of Department of Economics?,?? ?Ranchi University?; ?and Ramesh Sharma, National Convener?, Ekta Parishad?.? The? local? ?media reported on the workshop and mediapersons said their understanding of DMFs was greatly enhanced.