Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 19 Nov: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand has once again been able to get a huge incentive from the Central Government due to the remarkable performance and continuous reforms in the mining sector. The Union Ministry of Mines has provided an additional incentive of Rs 100 crore to Uttarakhand under the Special Assistance Scheme (SASCI) for the year 2025-26 in Minor Minerals Reforms. Even before this, in the month of October 2025, the state has received an incentive of Rs 100 crore for securing the second position in the SMRI ranking. Thus, thanks to the reforms and better policies in the mining sector, Uttarakhand has received a total incentive of Rs 200 crore.
The State has implemented better policies in recent years with emphasis on mining reforms, as a result of which Uttarakhand has secured the No.1 position in the country in the mining sector. The latest Office Memorandum dated 18.11.2025 issued by the Centre states that the State has implemented most of the corrective actions related to the mining sector in a timely and effective manner. Notably, the parameters of 6 out of 7 major reforms related to Minor Mineral Reforms were successfully met, giving the State the first place!
The transparent and business-friendly policies adopted by the Government of Uttarakhand in the mining sector have led to unprecedented increase in the income of the Government. The strong management and new policies of the mining department have not only strengthened the government treasury, but lakhs of people are getting employment from the mining business in the state and lakhs of traders and entrepreneurs associated with it are also getting financial benefits. Local people and government agencies are getting construction materials at cheap prices, mining activities have also increased employment opportunities in the state and the local economy has got a boost.
The Central Government in its review report has admitted that Uttarakhand has been making steady progress in the mining sector and is implementing reforms at a fast pace. In view of this performance, the Centre has issued an order from the Finance Ministry to provide an additional amount of Rs 100 crore to the state. Among the states included in the said order, Nagaland, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand the performance of Uttarakhand has been recorded as best. As per the order of the Ministry, all the states have made the mining reform process more effective.
With this achievement, it is evident that the mining sector of Uttarakhand is proving to be a major source of revenue for the State Government. Uttarakhand is now carving out a strong and credible identity in the country’s mining landscape due to increased transparency, better policy making, and time-bound reforms!
States like Uttar Pradesh, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, etc., are also following the mining policies of Uttarakhand.
“Several steps have been taken in the state to ensure transparency and accountability in the mining sector, such as e-auction system, and satellite-based monitoring. The government is curbing illegal mining, keeping in mind the environment. The positive results of which are beginning to appear,” stated Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
