Section 18. Prospecting and mining to be done by Central Government in conformity with the Mineral Concession Rules

18. Prospecting and mining to be done by Central Government in conformity with the Mineral Concession Rules.— Where prospecting is done under this Act by or on behalf of the Central Government in any land situate within the jurisdiction of a State Government or where the Central Government or a Government company has become the lessee of a State Government in respect of any land under this Act, the terms and conditions under which the prospecting can be done or rights under the lease exercised shall, as far as may be, be the same as the terms and conditions applicable to prospecting licences and mining leases under the Mineral Concession Rules; and in case of doubt or dispute, shall be settled by arbitration or in such other manner as the Central Government and the State Government may decide. 2 — [18A. Payment to State Governments in lieu of royalty. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, where any land or any rights in or over land belonging to a State Government (other than the rights under a mining lease granted or deemed to have been granted by the State Government to any person) vest in the Central Government under section 10 or in a Government Company under section 11, the Central Government or the Company, as the case may be, may pay to the State Government such sum of money as would have been payable as royalty by a lessee had such land or rights been under a mining lease granted by the State Government.] — 19. Power to delegate. The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that all or any of the powers or duties which may be exercised or discharged by it under this Act shall, in such circumstances and under such conditions, if any, as may be specified in the notification, be exercised or discharged also by any person specified in this behalf in the notification and any such person may, with the previous approval of the Central Government, by order in writing, direct that any power or duty which has been directed to be exercised or discharged by him shall, in such circumstances and under such conditions, if any, as may be specified in the direction, be exercised or discharged by any such person subordinate to him as may be specified therein. 1. Subs. by Act 54 of 1971, s. 6, for the second proviso (w.e.f. 11-12-1971). 2. Ins. by s. 7, ibid . (w.e.f. 11-12-1971).