Uttarakhand again receives Rs 100 cr Central incentive for mining sector reforms

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun

Continuous reforms in the mining sector have started yielding good incentives for the State government. Taking cognizance of the minor mineral reforms made by the State, the Union ministry of Mines has released an incentive of Rs 100 crore to Uttarakhand. The incentive has been given to Uttarakhand for minor minerals reforms under the Special Assistance Scheme for the year 2025-26 (SASCI).

Pertinently this is for the second consecutive month, the State has received  an incentive from the centre. In the month of October, the State had received an incentive of Rs 100 crore for securing second place in the SMRI ranking.

As per the officials of the State Mining department, the State has implemented improved policies with an emphasis on mining reforms in recent years, resulting in Uttarakhand achieving the first position in the country in the mining sector. The latest office memorandum issued by the Central government mentions that the State has implemented most of the mining sector reforms in a timely and effective manner. Specifically, six out of seven major reform criteria related to minor mineral reforms were successfully met by the State.

The department claims that transparent and business-friendly policies in the mining sector have led to an unprecedented increase in government revenue. Robust management and innovative policies have not only strengthened the government’s treasury, but also provided employment opportunities for a large number of people in the State.

Expressing happiness, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the State government has taken many initiatives including e- auction system and satellite based monitoring to ensure transparency and accountability in the mining sector. 

The government is cracking down on illegal mining while taking environmental precautions into account and positive results are clearly visible, he said.