Uttarakhand mining revenue crosses Rs 1,000 crore, BJP leader credits crackdown on illegal activities

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], March 30 (ANI): BJP State President and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt on Sunday praised the Uttarakhand government for its strict action against illegal mining, saying it has helped increase the state's mining revenue from Rs 300 crore to over Rs 1,000 crore.
Speaking about the rise in revenue, Bhatt said, "Our revenue from mining in Uttarakhand has increased significantly. Earlier, it was around Rs 300 crore, but today, it has exceeded Rs 1,000 crore. What does this mean? It means that when theft stops and illegal activities are curbed, revenue naturally rises. I congratulate the Chief Minister for this achievement."
He also slammed the previous Congress government, suggesting that illegal mining was rampant under its rule. "Just imagine how much theft must have occurred during Congress rule when revenue never crossed Rs300 crore. Today, due to the firm measures taken by the Chief Minister to regulate mining and curb illegal practices, revenue has soared, and this effort is truly commendable," he added.
On Thursday, as per the State Mining Secretary Brijesh Kumar Sant's statement, Uttarakhand achieved its highest-ever mining revenue since the state's formation in 2002, marking a significant milestone for the sector.
Revenue increased nearly 2.25 times compared to the previous year, and a surplus of over Rs 200 crore was recorded.
"Since the formation of Uttarakhand, from 2002 to 2025, never was such mining revenue generated in the state. Compared to last year, the revenue is almost 2.25 times. This is the first time that we have met the target given by Finance (Department) and even generated surplus revenue of more than Rs 200 Crores. This can be called an achievement by the Mining Department."
Further, the Mining Secretary refuted claims that illegal mining is rising in the state, calling such allegations "baseless, false, and misleading."
"I believe that saying that illegal mining is rising in the state is completely baseless, false and misleading. The biggest evidence of this is that mining revenue rapidly grew in FY 2023-24," he added. This proves that there has been impactful control on illegal mining.
Sant detailed the measures taken to regulate the mining sector. The government has simplified rules while increasing penalties for violations. (ANI)