PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
The Centre will give an incentive of Rs 100 crore to Uttarakhand for securing second place in the country in the category- C under the State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI) scheme of the Government of India. The Ministry of Mines unveiled the SMRI and state-level rankings on Friday. SMRI is a key initiative of the union government aimed at encouraging reforms in the mining sector at the state level.
Furthering this initiative, mining sector reforms have now been integrated into the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2025-26 scheme of the ministry of Finance. The scheme provides a total allocation of Rs 5,000 crore, comprising three mining reform components. One of these three components (Rs 900 crore) is reserved for states that rank first in categories A, B and C according to the SMIRI rankings. Each such state will be eligible to receive Rs 100 crore from SASCI funds.
The States are classified into three categories on the basis of their mineral wealth. Category-A (states rich in mineral resources), category-B (states with medium mineral resources) and category-C (states with limited mineral resources). Uttarakhand is placed in category-C.
Expressing happiness, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that this achievement is the result of Uttarakhand government’s strong governance model, transparent policies, and people-centric approach. He stated that the government aims to promote a balance between development and environmental sustainability while driving the mining sector towards sustainable growth.
“Our government has eliminated corruption in the mining sector by developing a responsible and modern system. Our priority is not the exploitation of natural resources, but their sensitive and sustainable management,’’ he said. The CM added that the Mining department performed exceptionally in revenue collections. The Mining revenue has increased by a hefty Rs 800 crore which demonstrates the effectiveness, transparency, and strength of the government’s new mining policy.
