Secretary reviews functioning of Mining Department in Kashmir division; inspects extraction mineral sites

SRINAGAR, December 23: Amit Sharma, Secretary Mining, today visited and inspected a few mineral extraction sites of Kashmir division followed by an exhaustive review meeting on multiple departmental issues here today.

Secretary was accompanied by Joint Director, Mining Kashmir, Nisar Ahmad, Manager J&K Minerals Limited, Pramod Khajuria and District Mineral Officers of respective districts.

Secretary directed the concerned officers for conducting random on-spot inspection of all mining sites through flying squads at all vulnerable points in collaboration with respective police teams and district administrations under the supervision of both Joint Directors of Geology and Mining.

Later, Secretary chaired a detailed review meeting of the Mining Department at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar.

Director Geology and Mining, O P Bhagat, Managing Director, J&K Minerals Corporation, Vikram K Gupta, both Joint Directors and DMOs of all the districts participated in the meeting in person and online.

The major focus of the meeting was to keep up the tempo towards legitimate mining practices in all districts of the Union Territory during the upcoming year 2023 and taking all necessary measures to ensure presence of the department through usage of e-Challan and e-Marketplace.

Secretary had a district-wise review of functioning of the department. He issued specific directions to both the Head of Departments to sort out all issues raised and discussed during the meeting at the earliest.

Secretary laid special emphasis towards making winter months exemplary in terms of best practices and keeping Mining activities alive and vibrant all across the valley so that ongoing projects of National importance like Ring Road, National Highways, Railway projects don’t suffer.

 Secretary emphasised collective efforts towards making J&K Minerals Corporation a model entity through successful completion of its ongoing projects like Jammu Sapphire extraction in Padder area of Kishtwar, Coal Extraction in Kalakote area of Rajouri district and Gypsum extraction in Parlanka area of Ramban district.

He further asked the Director Geology and Mining to explore possibility of e-auctioning of new sites in the last financial quarter of the year so that UT exchequer can have maximum royalty earnings through it. He also directed him for taking over two sites of major minerals like Limestone and Bauxite located in Rajouri and Reasi districts respectively from Geological Survey of India for e-auctioning at the earliest.

 Secretary exhorted upon both the HODs to convene weekly review meetings so that pending issues can be sorted out and new plans and targets can be set for the ensuing week.