The ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ has made changes to its ਪੰਜਾਬ State Mining Minerals Policy, 2022 to increase the supply of sand and gravel and stop illegal mining. The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ Bhagwant Mann.
ਪੰਜਾਬ’s Finance ਮੰਤਰੀ Harpal Cheema said the new policy will help increase revenue from mining. The royalty for gravel has been raised from ₹0.73 per cubic feet to ₹3.20 per cubic feet, and for sand, it has been increased to ₹1.75 per cubic feet.
Water Resources and Mining ਮੰਤਰੀ Barinder Kumar Goyal announced that the ਸਰਕਾਰ has introduced two new types of mining sites—crusher mining sites and landowner mining sites. This will allow crusher owners and landowners to mine minerals from their land by paying royalty to the ਸਰਕਾਰ. Officials will also identify ਸਰਕਾਰ lands where mining can be done legally.
New ਸਰਕਾਰ Schemes Announced
The Cabinet has also launched two welfare schemes:
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Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra Scheme – ਲੋਕ above 50 years of age can register for free religious trips to various places inside and outside ਪੰਜਾਬ.
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School Mentorship Programme – ਪੰਜਾਬ’s IAS, IPS, and IFS officers will adopt one school each in 80 Schools of Eminence and provide guidance to students for five years.
The ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ hopes these decisions will reduce illegal mining, make sand and gravel more affordable, support religious tourism, and improve education for students.
