LIMA (Reuters) – A Peruvian congressional committee took a first step on Friday to expand a program allowing temporary permits for small, informal miners that has been controversial amid accusations from opponents that it has been misused to expand illegal mining.

The legislative Energy and Mines Committee approved a bill that would extend for six months a registry called REINFO, which allows small-scale miners to continue working while seeking formalization.

The proposal, which would constitute a one-time extension, will now be sent to the rest of Congress for a full vote.

REINFO, which has already been extended several times, expires on December 31. The government has pushed for an end to the program, saying its misuse for more than a decade has led to an increase in illegal mining.

On Tuesday, Energy and Mines Minister Romulo Mucho was removed from office by Congress, amid protests from small-scale miners demanding the extension of REINFO by two years.

Peruvian smallholders, mainly gold miners, rejected the bill as inadequate and have been blocking a key transport route to the south for more than a week. In Lima, hundreds of artisanal miners camped in front of Parliament.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)