PAIN POINTS

Terrain: Half the 50 mineral-bearing districts have large tribal population, many of them protected by special laws. The average forest cover in mineral-rich districts is 28 per cent as against the national average of 20.9 per cent

Naxalite menace: 40 per cent of the country's mineral-bearing districts have a Maoist presence, which endangers miners’ security and inhibits mining efforts

Legacy issues: The mining sector has been notorious for engaging in many kinds of illegalities, tax evasion and unscientific practices that have degraded the environment, resulting in deep suspicion of its activities among local population

Clearance delays: The multiple approvals required result in inordinate delays that damage investor confidence. It takes three-five years to start a mine in India, one of the highest in the world. Delays of up to 15 years in grant of sanctions are common

Taxation : At 64 per cent plus, the effective rate of taxation on mining in India is far higher than countries such as Canada (34 per cent), Indonesia (38 per cent), Australia (40 per cent) and South Africa (40 per cent)