Shillong: The Meghalaya cabinet on Thursday decided to pursue a resolution passed by the Assembly on getting Meghalaya exempted from central laws related to mining, while also knocking on the Centre's door to get the ongoing ban on coal mining in the state lifted at the earliest.

Senior cabinet minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters after the cabinet meeting that as a follow-up of the resolution already adopted by the Meghalaya Assembly, chief minister Conrad K. Sangma will lead a delegation comprising ministers to New Delhi on Friday.

The team will discuss the issue with the Centre on how to find a way out of the coal-mining ban in the state, and the need to urge the Centre to invoke Para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to exempt Meghalaya from the provisions of central laws on mining.

He said getting Meghalaya exempted from central laws on mining does not mean that the state has to compromise with issues concerning the environment.

Tynsong recalled that the ninth Meghalaya Assembly had unanimously adopted a resolution in 2015 to urge upon the Central government to invoke Para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule through a presidential notification to exempt Meghalaya from the Central laws related to mining which include the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, and the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act.

The cabinet minister said after meeting the central authorities, the chief minister will also present a statement in the House in this current budget session of the tenth Assembly.

The ongoing budget session will conclude on April 20.

"During the cabinet meeting, we discussed how to move forward and make sure that the ban on coal mining in the state is lifted as it has affected the economy of the state and the people," Tynsong said.

He added that the state's advocate-general, Amit Kumar, was also present as there are matters related to mining which are pending in courts - the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal.

The National Green Tribunal banned coal mining in Meghalaya since April 17, 2014 and the ban will complete four years on April 17 this year.