MoEFCC clarifies Environmental Clearance exemption scope for non-CTE projects
On November 25 2025, India's MoEFCC issued an Office Memorandum clarifying that its Standard Operating Procedure requiring SPCB/PCC comments before Environmental Clearance applies only to projects that needed both EC and Consent to Establish prior to the November 12 2024 notifications. Projects requiring EC but never needing CTE, such as minor mineral mining, can now obtain clearance without awaiting SPCB comments.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued an Office Memorandum on November 25 2025 clarifying its SOP on project compliance. Notifications of November 12 2024 had exempted certain EC-requiring projects from obtaining Consent to Establish from State Pollution Control Boards. The SOP, operationalised via the PARIVESH portal effective October 24 2025, required SPCB/PCC comments before EC grant. SPCBs reported a bottleneck because minor mineral projects like sand and stone mining, which never needed CTE, were wrongly routed for comments.
Minor mineral mining projects, including sand and stone extraction, are the primary beneficiaries, as they were never under the CTE framework and now avoid the SPCB/PCC comment requirement. State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities may grant EC for such proposals without waiting for SPCB comments or fee payments. Infrastructure and mining project proponents previously stuck in bureaucratic limbo gain faster clearances, while projects that did require both EC and CTE before November 12 2024 remain subject to the full SOP.
Proponents should determine whether their project required CTE before November 12 2024 to identify their compliance path. The designated date for certain October 2025 OM provisions is extended to January 31 2026 for smooth transition. Projects granted EC between November 12 2024 and January 31 2026 that previously required CTE must seek environmental safeguards from the SPCB/PCC within 30 days of the new date or the EC grant. SEIAAs can proceed immediately for non-CTE proposals.
Key figure — Transition deadline: designated date extended to January 31 2026 for certain October 2025 OM provisions
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