In Jaipur on December 9, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Bhajan Lal Sharma, convened a meeting at the Central Ministry Office to review how the state’s Mines and Petroleum Department is doing. He said the government’s main goal is to make Rajasthan a leader in the mining arena and reminded officials that they must hit their revenue targets on schedule. “The mining sector is vital to Rajasthan’s development and creates substantial local employment. No individual involved in illegal mining will be spared,” he declared, making it clear that illicit activity would face strict penalties.
Sharma asked the department to spot new mineral blocks with the help of advanced tools such as artificial intelligence, and to learn from the best practices in other states that are rich in minerals. He urged a more open auction process, tighter cooperation between police, transport and mining officials, and tighter surveillance using drones and more extensive geo‑fencing of lease areas.
The Chief Minister reaffirmed the state’s push to expand legal mining, specifically emphasising the production of M‑sand as a greener alternative to river sand. The M‑Sand Policy 2024 has already attracted several new units, and the department is now on the lookout for further mineral resources.
During the briefing, officials briefed the CM on recent reforms: the establishment of an Environment Protection and Illegal Mining Monitoring Committee, the stationing of Border Home Guards in vulnerable zones, and a task force aimed at stopping abuse of e‑challans and transit passes. To boost revenue collection, the department is now mandating that all mineral‑transport vehicles carry GPS and RFID tags, and that all weighing bridges use uniform software. AI‑powered cameras and sensor‑based monitoring systems are also being installed.
Earlier that day, Principal Secretary (Mines) T. Ravikanth presented the department’s progress report while Director General of Police Rajiv Kumar Sharma and other senior officials from related departments listened.
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