UP CM Adityanath directs officials to identify new mining blocks in state

Lucknow, Aug 3 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday directed officials to identify new blocks for mining in the state to increase mineral production.

The chief minister also laid special emphasis on finding alternative resources and setting up brick kilns, instead of extracting soil from fertile land for brick production in the state.

According to a statement issued here, he gave these directions at a high-level meeting with the officials of the Geology and Mining Department on Thursday to review the functioning of the department and provided necessary directions.

He said the work of dredging the state’s rivers, while complying with the orders of the NGT (National Green Tribunal), has been completed on time and added that this will not only solve the problem of floods, but also help in channelising the rivers.

In this sequence, the chief minister instructed the Mining and Irrigation Department to prepare a comprehensive action plan together.

“New blocks for mining should be identified in the state to increase mineral production. Alternative resources and setting up brick kilns should be considered, instead of extracting soil from fertile land for brick production in the state,” he said.

Further, he stressed on the need for increasing mining leases in the state and instructed the concerned authorities, including the Chief Secretary, Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest), and Chief Secretary (Mining), to make serious efforts in providing environmental NOCs promptly.

He also directed them to take stringent action against illegal mining and make the Integrated Mining Surveillance System more effective.

The chief minister stated that 39 checkpoints in various bordering districts of the state should use technical means to monitor the transportation of minerals, such as sand, morang (fine sand), boulders, and others, to ensure proper handling during transportation.

He said that overloading must be strictly prohibited, and the number of checkpoints should be increased.

The officials were directed by the chief minister to determine the prices of minerals based on market rates and to make necessary changes in policies for the auction of major mining blocks.

He also gave directions to reduce the time required for river replenishment studies.

Adityanath instructed the officials to simplify the process for approving new storage facilities in the state. He also asked them to determine the storage period for different minor minerals separately.

The officials informed the chief minister that the state is ready with 19 blocks for the auction of minerals such as phosphorite, potash, iron, platinum group, gold metals, sillimanite, andalusite, and limestone.

Additionally, during the financial year 2022-23, the state produced 6,762 lakh cubic metres of minor minerals, generating revenue of Rs 3,367.26 crore.

The contribution of minor minerals in the state’s mining revenue is 70 per cent, of which resources like ordinary sand, moram, grit, and boulders contribute approximately 91 per cent.