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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
U.P's mining policy a model of transparency, tech efficiency: Yogi
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday emphasised the crucial role of the mining sector in Uttar Pradesh's journey towards achieving the trillion-dollar economy goal. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath during the review meeting of the department of geology and mining. (Sourced) He noted that the sector has evolved beyond just mineral extraction to become a key driver of economic growth, investment attraction and local employment generation. During a comprehensive review meeting of the department of geology and mining, he said U.P's mining policy has now emerged as a model of transparency and technological efficiency. Highlighting the department's performance, he noted that mineral revenue has recorded an average annual growth rate of 18.14% between FY 2021-22 and FY 2024-25. In FY 2024-25, revenue from major minerals stood at ₹ 608.11 crore. In just the first two months of FY 2025-26, the state has already generated ₹ 623 crore in revenue. The chief minister was informed that leases for major minerals such as phosphorite, iron ore, and gold have been successfully auctioned in recent years. He directed officials to expedite the composite licensing process further and ensure timely identification of potential mining zones along with the prompt preparation of geological reports. Emphasising the impact of transparent and investor-friendly policies, the chief minister noted that prominent companies like JSW, Adani Group, Tata Steel, and UltraTech Cement have shown strong interest in investing in Uttar Pradesh. The department has undertaken substantial work across more than 70 sub-indicators to secure Uttar Pradesh a top position in the State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI). A 100% implementation of the Mine Surveillance System has been achieved in all mining districts, leading to significant improvements in the average timeline for environmental clearances and enhancing the overall transparency of regulatory procedures. He instructed that the remaining reforms be completed within the stipulated time frame to ensure Uttar Pradesh attains 'Category-A' status in SMRI. To effectively curb illegal mining, transportation, and storage, the chief minister called for a robust monitoring mechanism in coordination with transport operators. He made it clear that mining activities will not be permitted in river catchment areas and strict accountability will be enforced against responsible officials if violations occur. Officials reported that 57 technology-enabled check gates have been installed, and 21,477 vehicles have been blacklisted. Systems such as the Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), colour coding, and white tagging are functioning efficiently. He directed that only GPS-enabled vehicles meeting the required standards should be authorised for mineral transportation and that their movement must be tracked in real-time through the VTS module. Since 2024, the PGRS laboratory and drone surveys have identified 99 potential mining sites, of which 23 have been deemed suitable for operations. Post-monsoon assessments have also been conducted for sand/morang deposits in 52 locations. Appreciating these efforts, the chief minister instructed that monitoring of active leases and volumetric analysis for accurate extraction assessment should be further intensified. The meeting was also informed that the regulation fees collected from brick kilns amounted to ₹ 258.61 crore in 2024-25 and ₹ 70.80 crore as of 2025–26. The chief minister directed that the brick kiln sector be modernised. He also directed that the process of issuing new leases for minor minerals be completed during the monsoon season, enabling mining activities to commence from October 15. He emphasised the optimal utilisation of the DMF fund, instructing that it be prioritised for public welfare initiatives, such as establishing Anganwadi centres, developing playgrounds, enhancing healthcare and skill training, and promoting water and energy conservation.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Mineral resources crucial for UP tobecome 1$ trillion economy: Yogi
Lucknow: Noting that the mining sector in UP has evolved beyond extraction, Chief minister on Sunday said that the mineral resources has become a key driver of economic growth, investment attraction, and local employment generation in the state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Chairing the review meeting of the department of geology and mining, Yogi stated that the state's mining policy has now emerged as a model before the country and is set to play a crucial role in Uttar Pradesh's journey towards achieving a one trillion-dollar economy. He noted that mineral revenue recorded an average annual growth rate of 18.14% between 2021–22 and 2024–25. While the revenue from major minerals in 2024–25 stood at Rs 608.11 crore, in just the first two months of 2025–26, the state generated Rs 623 crore in revenue. Yogi was informed that lease agreements for major minerals such as phosphorite, iron ore and gold blocks were successfully auctioned in recent years. He directed officials to expedite the composite licensing process further and ensure timely identification of potential mining zones along with the prompt preparation of geological reports. Emphasising the impact of transparent and investor-friendly policies, the Chief Minister noted that prominent companies like JSW, Adani Group, Tata Steel and UltraTech Cement have shown a strong interest in the sector. The department undertook substantial work across more than 70 sub-indicators to secure top position in the State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI). A 100% implementation of the mine surveillance system was achieved in all mining districts, leading to significant improvements in the average timeline for environmental clearances and enhancing the overall transparency of regulatory procedures. Yogi added that the remaining reforms be completed within the stipulated time frame to ensure Uttar Pradesh attains 'Category-A' status in SMRI. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Officials revealed that 57 technology-enabled check gates were installed and 21,477 vehicles had been blacklisted for transporting minerals in an illegal manner. Systems such as the Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), colour coding and white tagging are functioning efficiently. Through the brick kiln operators, the state had generated a revenue of Rs 259 crore last financial year whereas in this year Rs 71 crore have been collected. Additionally, Yogi directed that the process of issuing new leases for minor minerals be completed during the monsoon season, enabling mining activities to commence from October 15.
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
BMC assigns deputy engineers in 227 wards to rid the city of potholes
Mumbai: In a decisive move towards pothole-free roads, the BMC has assigned deputy engineers across its 227 wards to conduct daily inspection of their respective area to proactively identify and fill potholes before they grow larger and complaints are filed. 'The objective is clear: pothole-free roads for Mumbai's citizens. Any evidence of road degradation will be met with stringent action,' said civic chief administrator Bhushan Gagrani, during a key strategy meeting at the BMC headquarters held on June 9 with officials from the roads and traffic department, including additional municipal commissioner (projects) Abhijit Bangar. Bangar said that the pothole-repair contractors had already been appointed, and added that each deputy engineer would be responsible for maintaining 10 km to 15 km of roads. He said, 'Monitoring from the office is not acceptable,' and added that engineers should monitor the roads in a hands-on manner, ideally inspecting them every other day using two-wheelers in vulnerable stretches. Bangar said that deputy engineers needed to be vigilant and take swift action, particularly in areas prone to heavy rains. He highlighted the BMC's ongoing road concretisation efforts that have reduced the frequency and severity of potholes in recent years, and significantly brought down repair expenditures between 2023 and 2025. According to Bangar, pothole repairs should not wait until public complaints arise. He said that engineers must identify issues proactively, and prioritise weekend repairs when traffic is lighter, to ensure a smoother commute at the start of the work week. To ensure uniformity and durability in repairs, specific guidelines have been issued: potholes must be filled in a square shape to ensure a smooth finish; on roads more than six meters wide, cold mix materials are prohibited because they are not long term solutions; only mastic asphalt is to be used. In some locations, geo-polymer concrete, a more lasting solution, may serve as a viable alternative. Mastic cookers must be maintained in ready-to-use condition at the divisional level, and every contractor must have their own mastic production setup to avoid supply delays. In addition, a detailed weekly plan must be in place to confirm which mastic projects will remain operational over weekends. Assistant engineers are to coordinate with deputy engineers to ensure appropriate deployment of mastic cookers and vehicles. As per the guidelines, all mastic cooker vehicles must be equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) devices that can be tracked via the Vehicle Tracking System (VTS). Bangar said that vehicles without the GPS systems will not be paid for any pothole work done by them.
