<h1>Government adds critical minerals sub-category on environmental clearance portal to speed auctions; no exemptions from FCA 1980 or EIA 2006</h1> The government created a dedicated sub-category on its environmental clearance portal to expedite approvals for mining projects involving designated critical minerals following amendments to mining law that authorize central auctions of 24 critical minerals. The change is intended to streamline monitoring of central approvals under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, but projects receive no exemptions from that Act or the EIA Notification, 2006; statutory time limits for terms of reference and environment clearances remain unchanged. New EIA guidelines permit certain linear projects to extract over 20,000 m3 of ordinary earth without separate clearance subject to conditions. State authorities retain primary responsibility for forest and wildlife protection, with penalties under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.