Omar Abdullah Calls for Robust Mining System, Time-Bound Mineral Exploration
SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a high-level review meeting of the Mining Department at the Civil Secretariat to assess modernization initiatives, regulatory reforms, and surveillance mechanisms in the sector.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary (Mining) Anil Kumar, Director Geology & Mining, all Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, and other senior officers.
During the meeting, the Additional Chief Secretary (Mining) presented an overview of the department’s performance, highlighting technological advancements, policy reforms, exploration projects, and financial achievements.
A key highlight of the review was the live demonstration of the Integrated Mining Surveillance System (IMSS) — a digital monitoring platform developed in collaboration with BISAG (Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics). The IMSS portal and mobile app enable real-time tracking of mining operations through integrated dashboards linked with e-Challan and e-Market systems to enhance transparency and compliance.
Officials informed that over 243 field verification triggers have been generated using features such as GPS-enabled vehicle tracking, PoS-linked e-challaning (integrated with J&K Bank), and real-time enforcement to curb illegal mining.
Appreciating the initiative, the Chief Minister directed the developers to expand PoS functionality and integrate the department’s existing portal with the IMSS platform for seamless operations. He also suggested enabling citizens to register complaints via mobile devices, supported by satellite imagery or other evidence, to strengthen public participation and grievance redressal.
Omar Abdullah instructed the department to categorize active and inactive mineral suppliers and establish a dedicated monitoring cell at the Directorate level for continuous data tracking and real-time oversight.
Reviewing ongoing reforms under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2025-26, the Chief Minister was informed that several measures have been initiated to enhance institutional capacity and transparency in the mining sector. These include:
Transition to an auction-based system for mineral block allocation,
Introduction of mine closure and rehabilitation plans,
Implementation of advanced survey and mapping mechanisms, and
Operationalization of the District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) to ensure mining revenues benefit local development.
Efforts are also underway to revise royalty fees and penalties in line with market dynamics and improve compliance. The department has made GPS-enabled transport and PoS-based transactions mandatory for tracking mineral movement and has reinforced legal enforcement through royalty clearance certificates, as directed by the Hon’ble High Court.
Presenting the status of major and minor mineral blocks, officials highlighted progress in auctioning and lease allocation. The Chief Minister directed that all environmental and statutory clearances must be obtained prior to block allocation to avoid procedural delays for successful bidders.
On the issue of illegal mining, Omar Abdullah stressed the need to root out administrative collusion.
“In my previous tenure, illegal mining was not an issue. With the advanced technology now in place, such activities can only occur through internal collusion. The department must use these systems effectively to eliminate that possibility,” he stated.
The Chief Minister also reviewed exploration projects by MECL and GSI involving sapphire, lithium, lignite, and shallow biogenic gas reserves, along with ongoing studies on granite, graphite, gypsum, copper, and other base metals. He emphasized strict adherence to environmental regulations, especially in eco-sensitive areas, while promoting sustainable mineral development.
Commending the department’s progress in digital transformation and institutional reform, Omar Abdullah urged continued focus on transparency, efficiency, and environmental responsibility in mining operations across Jammu and Kashmir.
