Calls for legally robust, technology-driven and sustainable mining governance for J&K
SRINAGAR, JULY 16: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a high-level meeting to deliberate upon the broad contours of the proposed Minor Mining Policy-2026, being formulated by the Department of Geology & Mining to address existing policy gaps, strengthen regulatory mechanisms and establish a transparent, technology-driven and sustainable framework for scientific management of minor mineral resources across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting besides the ACS, Mining Department, Ashwani Kumar was attended by Administrative Heads from the stakeholder departments, Divisional Administration, Pollution Control Committee and other stakeholders.
A comprehensive presentation on the proposed policy framework was delivered by the CEO, Centre for Innovation, Technology Assessment and Good Governance (CITaG), outlining the deficiencies in the existing system, proposed policy interventions and the roadmap for creating a modern, efficient and legally compliant mining governance framework.
The Administrative Secretaries and Heads of the concerned departments actively participated in the deliberations and offered valuable suggestions for further strengthening the draft policy.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Secretary emphasized that every proposed amendment must strictly conform to the provisions of the Central legislation governing minor minerals and withstand legal scrutiny. He directed that the policy should incorporate best practices adopted by progressive States, particularly Odisha, while suitably adapting them to the local requirements of Jammu and Kashmir.
Highlighting the need to protect the livelihoods of traditional mining communities, the Chief Secretary called for development of a transparent digital ecosystem that facilitates their participation while ensuring that mining rights remain non-transferable and cannot be sublet or misused.
The Chief Secretary further stressed that provisions relating to penalties, seizure and enforcement must be firmly rooted in law. He observed that while amendments to the Rules can be undertaken within the framework of the Central Act, all such changes must remain fully consistent with the statutory provisions.
Expressing serious concern over the growing menace of illegal mining, he directed the concerned departments to explore stronger deterrent measures against the habitual offenders, wherever permissible under the law, so as to effectively discourage violations.
Calling for a coordinated institutional approach, the Chief Secretary directed that extensive inter-departmental consultations be completed before finalizing the policy to ensure that all operational, legal and administrative aspects are comprehensively addressed.
He also instructed that a detailed Action Plan be prepared in advance, clearly outlining implementation timelines, departmental responsibilities, technological interventions and the necessary amendments to the Rules for seamless execution of the proposed policy.
The presentation identified several critical gaps in the existing regulatory framework, including the absence of a mechanism for priority supply of minor minerals to Government infrastructure projects, lack of a standardized Request for Proposal (RFP) format containing comprehensive project-related information for prospective bidders, inadequate river-bed management practices and delays arising from approvals involving multiple departments, necessitating the establishment of a robust single-window clearance mechanism.
The meeting also deliberated upon issues concerning Environmental Clearances, the need for a transparent and legally compliant “Mine-to-Market” tracking system, periodic revision of penalties at defined intervals to maintain their deterrent value and introduction of third-party audits for extraction of minor minerals from private lands.
The stakeholder departments proposed several important measures for inclusion in the policy. These included ensuring priority allocation of minerals for Government development projects, creating an institutional mechanism for engaging traditional miners in dredging and desilting operations, adopting dynamic replenishment rates based on scientific assessments instead of static estimates and facilitating advance processing of statutory approvals, including Environmental Clearances, to ensure timely commencement of mining activities.
During the deliberations, the officers also highlighted the alarming scale of illegal mining and stressed the need for significantly strengthening enforcement mechanisms. Suggestions were made for incorporating special provisions to facilitate emergency extraction of minor minerals for irrigation and flood management works and establishing a well-defined mechanism for protection of whistleblowers and informers reporting illegal mining activities.
The meeting further underscored the necessity of strengthening the Department of Geology & Mining by enhancing its institutional capacity, enforcement capabilities and resource management systems to effectively regulate mining operations and curb illegal extraction.
It was also decided that CITaG would prepare draft amendments incorporating the suggestions received from all stakeholder departments to facilitate formulation of a comprehensive, practical and future-ready policy.
Recognizing the critical role of technology in improving transparency and enforcement, the meeting discussed the development of an integrated end-to-end digital ecosystem incorporating e-challan generation, geo-fencing, real-time mineral transportation monitoring and other technology-enabled regulatory tools.
It was proposed that the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) be associated in developing the proposed digital platform. The meeting also emphasized evolving a suitable digital mechanism for integrating traditional miners into the formal regulatory framework.
Reiterating the Government’s commitment to transparent governance, sustainable resource management and scientific mining practices, the Chief Secretary said that the proposed Comprehensive Minor Mining Policy-2026 should lay the foundation for an efficient, accountable and technology-enabled mining ecosystem that balances environmental sustainability, ease of doing business, public interest and the welfare of community at large here.
