Chhattisgarh earns Rs 10,345 cr mineral revenue till December, eyes Rs 17,000 cr in FY 2025-26

Raipur, Jan 15 (PTI) Chhattisgarh has earned revenue of Rs 10,345 crore from minerals till December and is on course to achieve the target of nearly Rs 17,000 crore by the end of the 2025-26 fiscal, state Mineral Resource department secretary P Dayanand said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, he asserted Chhattisgarh has witnessed remarkable rise in mineral revenue since its formation in 2000, when it stood at Rs 429 crore.

By its silver jubilee year 2024-25, the figure had climbed to Rs 14,592 crore, reflecting sustained growth driven by planned mineral development and exploitation, Dayanand added.

"Chhattisgarh contributes around 17 per cent to the country's total mineral production and nearly 10 per cent to the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Rich in natural resources, the state has consistently enhanced its mineral revenue through systematic exploration and mining policies" Dayanand said.

In line with Prime Minister Khanij Kalyan Kshetra Yojana (PMKKKY) Guidelines-2024 issued by Union Ministry of Mines, amendments have been made to Chhattisgarh District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Trust Rules, 2015, he said.

"Under the DMF, a total contribution of Rs 16,742 crore has been received so far. Of this, 1,07,689 development works have been approved for mining-affected areas and people, out of which 75,901 works have been completed, while the remaining are in progress. To ensure effective monitoring, financial approval, management, control and accountability of DMF-funded works, the state has launched DMF Portal 2.0 on the lines of the Centre's DMF portal," Dayanand informed.

Highlighting the importance of critical minerals in achieving the vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047', Dayanand said the Centre has launched the National Critical Minerals Mission to boost exploration and extraction.

"Chhattisgarh has become the first state to auction a lithium block, with lithium and rare mineral blocks auctioned in Katghora tehsil of Korba district. The opening of lithium mines is expected to generate employment opportunities for local youth," he said.

Keeping in view the growing importance of critical and strategic minerals, one project under National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) has been approved for exploration of lithium, niobium, tantalum and rare earth elements (REE) in the Bengpal-Elingnar-Komakoleng area of Sukma and Bastar districts through notified private sector exploration agencies, he said.

"More than 28 types of minerals are found across various regions of the state. The government prepares mineral blocks for exploration and mining and offers them through auctions and other modes, resulting in a significant increase in revenue over the past two years. The Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) is also a key partner in exploration and mining activities," he said.

Currently, CMDC is engaged in mining, marketing and exploration of nine minerals, including tin, bauxite, iron ore, copper, diamond, manganese, corundum, dolomite and coal, Dayanand added.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Chhattisgarh has seen notable transformation in mineral resource management, the official said. PTI TKP BNM