Punjab Cabinet approves mining policy amendment, 'teerath yatra' scheme, school mentorship plan

The Punjab Council of Ministers has given its consent to amend the Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab State Mining Minerals Policy, 2022, which aims at increasing the supply of sand and gravel, in a bid to end illegal sand mining.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, this morning. The other major decisions taken in the meeting today are the launch of Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra scheme and School Mentorship Programme.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said that the amendments to the mining policy would help them increase the revenue from mining manifold. “The royalty to be charged for crushing of gravel has been increased from Rs 0.73 per cubic feet to Rs 3.20 per cubic feet, while royalty for sand has been increased from Rs 0.73 per cubic feet to Rs 1.75 per cubic feet,” he said.

Water Resources and Mining Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said that they had introduced two new kinds of mining sites — crusher mining sites and land owner mining sites — over and above the already existing category of public mining sites.

“The crusher owners can mine minor minerals on land owned by them, as can land owners. They can pay royalty to the government and sell the mined sand or gravel. The idea is to bridge the existing demand-supply gap, thus bringing down prices for consumers and curbing illegal mining,” he said. Goyal added that deputy commissioners in each district have been authorised to also identify government lands where mining operations could be carried on.

Meanwhile, in another significant decision taken by the Cabinet, it has been decided that all those who are over 50 years of age, can register for and avail free trips to religious places within and outside the state, under the Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra scheme.

The government has also decided to launch the Mentorship Scheme, initially in 80 Schools of Eminence. The state’s IAS, IPS and IFS officers will have to adopt one school and provide mentorship to students for a five-year period.