PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Uttarakhand has secured second place in the country for its performance and reforms in the mining sector.
In recognition of its better performance in mining reforms, the Ministry of Finance, government of India, has approved a special assistance of Rs 200 crore to Uttarakhand under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme for the financial year 2025–26. The central assistance is for completing minor minerals reforms and reforms related to the State mining readiness index.
The officials informed that the reforms include the e-auction system, satellite-based monitoring, strict compliance and the strengthening of a modern mining surveillance system to curb illegal mining. The process for allocating mining lots has also been made transparent. The officials further inform that as a result of these mining reforms, the mining sector has become a major source of income for the State government. The revenue from the mining sector has increased to Rs 1,200 crore.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed gratitude of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing Uttarakhand with a special incentive for mining reforms. “This support will provide new impetus to transparency, technological improvements, and sustainable development in Uttarakhand’s mining sector. The state government will use this funding to make the mining system more organized, environmentally sensitive and employment-oriented. This will strengthen the state’s economy and create new opportunities for local youth,’’ he said.
