HP govt issues new mineral policy to curb illegal mining

Shimla, Mar 13 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government has approved a Mineral Policy-2024 in order to curb illegal mining and boost revenue, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Wednesday.

The policy advocates use of scientific and mechanical techniques for extraction of mineral wealth, while preserving the ecology, he said in a statement.

“The Mineral Policy-2024 would promote sustainable mining practices and increase employment opportunities for the people of the State,” Sukhu said.

The policy will also ensure transparent and efficient governance with the help of an integrated online portal that would be developed to regulate mining activities and streamline procedures, he said.

“The policy underscores our commitment to maximise revenue for the state while cracking down on illegal mining activities and safeguard the mineral wealth of the state and foster a conducive environment for extraction of mineral assets using scientific means,” said Sukhu.

The government plans to recruit 80 mining guards in the Department of Industries for effective implementation of the policy, he added.

The efforts of the state government to generate revenue from its existing resources were yielding positive results leading to generation of an additional Rs 2,200 crore, he said.