Jakarta,- The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), in this case the Directorate General of Mineral and Coal (Dirjen Minerba) explained that it had approved the Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) for 2024 - 2026 as many as 587 applications out of 883 applications for coal commodity RKAB.

Of the 587 approved RKAB applications, as of March 2024, the total tonnage of the approved RKAB reached 922.14 million tons in 2024, 917.16 million tons in 2025 and 902.97 million tons in 2026.

Acting Director General of Mineral and Coal, Bambang Suswantono noted that in the recapitulation of coal commodity RKAB for 2024, 2025 and 2026 there were 883 applications. Where 121 RKABs were rejected and 100 applications were under evaluation.

"The number of rejections of the 2024 RKAB, the reason for the IUP SK has expired 8 applications, PNBP has not paid 75 applications, FS and amdal 4, MODI / DIRCOM 13, finance 8, PPM 11 and other 2 applications," Bambang said in a hearing with Commission VII DPR, Tuesday (3/19/2024).

As is known, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has previously issued new rules regarding the procedures for preparing, submitting, and approving RRKAB in the mineral and coal mining sector (minerba). This regulation is contained in Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation Number 10 of 2023.

The regulation partially revokes Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation (Permen) Number 7 of 2020 which regulates the Procedures for Granting Areas, Licensing, and Reporting on Mineral and Coal Mining Business Activities.

The regulation was signed by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif on September 8, 2023 and promulgated in Jakarta on September 11, 2023.

At least, there are several important points contained in this regulation, including the division of activity time for RKAB, administrative sanctions, fulfillment of essential aspects in the preparation of RKAB and time efficiency.

Article 3 paragraph 1 explains the concept of RKAB approval which is divided into two, namely during the exploration stage for a period of 1 year and exploitation for a period of 3 years. Previously, submission of exploration and production RKABs was done once a year.

"In the event that the validity period of IUP, IUPK, and IUPK as a Continuation of Contract / Agreement Operations is less than 3 (three) years, the preparation of the RKAB for the production operation activity stage as referred to in paragraph (1) letter b is adjusted to the period of validity of the license," paragraph 2 reads, quoted on Friday (22/9/2023).

Meanwhile, Article 23 paragraph 2 regulates the procedures for imposing administrative sanctions. Starting from a written warning, temporary suspension of part or all business activities, or license revocation.

However, in article 27, it is written that the Minister or Governor can impose strict administrative sanctions on license holders in the form of license revocation without the imposition of written warning sanctions and sanctions for temporary suspension of activities if they carry out mining business activities without having RKAB approval.