Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel, in its 23rd report on the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT), stated that offshore mineral exploration offers a major opportunity for India to utilise its largely untapped seabed mineral resources.

About the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust

The National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), also referred to as the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust in policy discussions, was established by the Central Government to support the regional and detailed exploration of minerals across the country.

The Trust was created under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015.

Its primary objective is to promote systematic mineral exploration using funds collected under the provisions of the law and to strengthen the scientific development of India’s mineral sector.

Structure of the Trust

The Trust follows a two-tier structure for administration and decision-making.

Governing Body

The apex body of the Trust is the Governing Body, which is chaired by the Union Minister of Mines. It exercises overall control and provides policy direction for the functioning of the Trust.

Executive Committee

The day-to-day administration and management of the Trust are handled by the Executive Committee, which is chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Mines.

The Executive Committee is responsible for implementing projects, managing funds, and supervising exploration activities.

Funding Mechanism

To carry out its activities, an NMET Fund has been established.

The Fund receives contributions from holders of:

• mining leases, and

• prospecting licence-cum-mining leases.

These entities are required to contribute an amount equal to 2% of the royalty paid under the provisions of the MMDR Act.

This funding mechanism ensures continuous financial support for mineral exploration and research activities in the country.

Functions of NMET

The Trust plays an important role in strengthening mineral exploration and scientific mining practices in India.

One of its major functions is to provide funding for special studies and projects aimed at identifying, exploring, extracting, beneficiating, and refining deep-seated and concealed mineral deposits.

The Trust also undertakes studies related to:

• mineral development,

• sustainable mining practices,

• adoption of advanced scientific and technological methods, and

• mineral extraction metallurgy.

Another important responsibility of NMET is conducting regional and detailed exploration of strategic and critical minerals, which are essential for industries such as electronics, renewable energy, defence, and advanced manufacturing.

The Gauhati High Court recently directed the Assam Government to respond to a petition alleging that the Forest Department had issued an e-tender for the felling of trees within the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary without obtaining the mandatory forest clearance from the Central Government.

About Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary

The Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the eastern fringe of Guwahati city in Assam. The sanctuary was created by merging three reserve forests, namely the South Amchang Reserve Forest, Amchang Reserve Forest, and Khanapara Reserve Forest.

Geographically, the sanctuary extends from the mighty Brahmaputra River in the north to the forested hills of Meghalaya in the south. This creates a continuous forest corridor connecting with Meghalaya’s Maradakdola Reserve Forests, thereby enhancing ecological connectivity and wildlife movement.

Vegetation

The sanctuary supports diverse forest ecosystems and is characterized by a mixture of important forest types. These include Khasi Hill Sal Forests, East Himalayan Mixed Deciduous Forests, Eastern Alluvial Secondary Semi-Evergreen Forests, and East Himalayan Sal Forests.

Flora

The forests of Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary are dominated by several valuable tree species. Important flora found here include teak, white iris, axle wood, terminalia, wild java plum, elephant rope tree, beechwood, bitter champa, black dammer tree, cluster fig, and arjun trees.

Fauna

Among the mammals found in the sanctuary are Asian elephants, leopards, fishing cats, Asian palm civets, gaur (Indian bison), sambar deer, barking deer, porcupines, mongooses, wild pigs, rabbits, flying squirrels, and otters.

Importance of Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary

Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary plays a crucial role in the conservation of biodiversity, protection of elephant habitats, and maintenance of an important forest corridor between Assam and Meghalaya.

A recent scientific study has identified fructose as an important biological factor contributing to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and several chronic diseases.

About Fructose

Fructose is a type of simple sugar (monosaccharide) belonging to the carbohydrate group. It is one of the three most common naturally occurring monosaccharides, the other two being glucose and galactose.

Its chemical formula is C₆H₁₂O₆, which is the same as glucose. However, fructose has a different molecular structure, giving it distinct chemical and metabolic properties.

Fructose is commonly referred to as “fruit sugar” because it naturally occurs in fruits, vegetables, honey, sugarcane, and sugar beet.

Properties of Fructose

Fructose is the most water-soluble monosaccharide found in nature. It is also significantly sweeter than glucose, which makes it widely used in the preparation of beverages, desserts, confectioneries, and processed foods.

Because of its high sweetness, a smaller quantity of fructose is often required to achieve the same level of sweetness compared to other sugars.

Relationship with Sucrose

Fructose combines with glucose to form sucrose, which is commonly known as table sugar or common sugar.

When sucrose is consumed, it is broken down in the digestive system into its two constituent sugars—glucose and fructose—which are then absorbed by the body.

Metabolism of Fructose

Unlike glucose, fructose cannot be directly used by most cells of the body. After absorption, it is transported to the liver, where it is converted into glucose and other metabolic products before being utilized for energy.

Another important feature of fructose metabolism is that it does not require insulin for absorption into cells. As a result, fructose generally has a lower immediate impact on blood glucose levels compared to glucose.

However, excessive fructose intake may contribute to fat accumulation in the liver, insulin resistance, obesity, and other metabolic disorders.

Health Effects of Excessive Fructose Consumption

Recent research suggests that excessive consumption of fructose, particularly from sweetened beverages and processed foods, may increase the risk of:

• Obesity

• Metabolic Syndrome

• Type 2 Diabetes

• Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

• Cardiovascular Diseases

Fructose Intolerance

In some individuals, the digestive system is unable to properly absorb fructose. This condition is known as Fructose Intolerance or Fructose Malabsorption.

When fructose is not adequately absorbed, it can lead to symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating, diarrhoea, and excessive gas formation. These symptoms occur because unabsorbed fructose is fermented by bacteria in the intestine.