Jammu Kashmir Mining Sector Earns Rs 137 Cr in Two Months | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir’s mining sector generated Rs 137.27 crore in revenue during the first two months of 2026, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo said on Wednesday while directing officials to intensify surveillance and enforcement to curb illegal mining across the Union Territory.

Chairing a high-level review meeting on mining reforms, Dulloo assessed measures aimed at preventing illegal extraction of minerals, strengthening monitoring systems and improving revenue realisation from the sector.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary reviewed the Integrated Mining Surveillance System (IMSS), a digital platform designed to track vehicles transporting mining material across districts of Jammu and Kashmir. After taking a live demonstration, he said the system requires further upgrades to ensure stricter monitoring of illegal mining activities.

Dulloo directed the department to work with Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-Informatics to develop automated triggers capable of detecting illegal mining or extraction beyond authorised areas. He also asked officials to increase the frequency of automated alerts to weekly intervals and set a clear timeline for improving the surveillance system.

The Chief Secretary further reviewed the progress of e-auctioning of mineral blocks and urged district administrations to expedite clearances for identified minor mineral blocks. Several cases are currently pending at different stages, including Environmental Impact Assessment, approvals from the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee and forest clearances.

Officials informed the meeting that out of 235 identified minor mineral blocks across the Union Territory, 81 are operational. Extension of Letters of Intent has been issued for 10 blocks, while eight cases are pending with the competent authorities. Mining leases for four blocks are expected to be granted shortly, projected to generate around Rs 57 crore in revenue.

The meeting was also informed that seven minor mineral blocks have already been auctioned in Anantnag district, while 22 more are in the pipeline and 47 blocks are awaiting No Objection Certificates from various departments.

To strengthen monitoring, GPS tracking devices have been installed on 3,942 vehicles engaged in mining activities, of which 3,515 have already been integrated with the IMSS platform.

Officials also reported that enforcement drives have resulted in penalties amounting to Rs 1.10 crore being imposed on violators of mining regulations, with on-the-spot fines being collected through PoS machines to enhance transparency.

The meeting reviewed additional measures, including revision of penalties and operationalisation of non-operational minor mineral blocks across districts, aimed at increasing revenue and ensuring adequate availability of construction material in the Union Territory.