Raj govt to deploy drones, modern tech to monitor illegal mining ops

Jaipur: To crack down on illegal mining operations , the Rajasthan govt is set to adopt modern technology for the first time by deploying drones for aerial photography and videography to closely monitor mining areas.

To support this initiative, a joint task force has been established at the headquarters level to conduct surprise inspections and enhance enforcement operations through technology.

The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting held late Wednesday night at the chief minister's residence to assess actions against illegal mining.

A senior mining official said, "The police, district administration, forest department, transport department and mining department will work in close coordination. District collectors have been instructed to take stringent action against mining mafias. The mining department is mandated to regularly monitor district-level SIT meetings and ensure daily reporting."

The official said that Rajasthan's vast mineral resources provide direct and indirect employment and contribute significantly to state revenue. The aim is to ensure the proper utilisation of mineral wealth.

"The sector's contribution to the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is expected to increase from 3.4% in 2023-24 to 5% by 2029-30 and 8% by 2046-47, while also tripling state revenue by 2029-30 and reaching Rs 1 lakh crore by 2046-47."

Several amendments have been introduced in the existing policies to benefit the sector.

An official said, "To enhance revenue, the ‘Strip of Land' provision has been abolished, and for gap-area allocations, the reserve price, dead rent, or license fee has been raised from 10 to 25 times. Guidelines for mining lease allocation in urban areas will help curb illegal mining."

Additionally, for short lease durations, environmental clearances must be obtained before lease approval, and the maximum validity for letters of intent is set at five years.

"In tribal areas, bid security has been reduced from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to encourage local participation. Performance security has been standardised at 50% of the dead rent or license fee across both new and old leases. Deadlines have been tightened, with late fees introduced for delays in mine transfers, contract execution, and proportional calculation of dead rent for surrendered mines. Leases violating terms will face strict actions, including cancellations and revival restrictions," added the official.