Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday directed officials to fast-track the operationalisation of 300 auctioned sand ghats and expedite statutory clearances for auctioned coal blocks as part of a broader push to strengthen Jharkhand’s revenue base and improve mineral resource management. Reviewing the performance of the mines and geology department, and the building construction department, Soren set a revenue target of around Rs 3,000 crore from sand mining and ordered immediate steps to commence extraction at auctioned sites. Of the state’s 820 sand ghats, 376 are being operated through Panchayats, while 300 of the remaining 444 have already been auctioned.

The chief minister also ordered a stringent crackdown on illegal mining, unauthorised transportation of minerals, vehicle overloading and sand mafias. Calling illegal mining a threat to state revenues, the environment and law and order, he directed authorities to deploy technology-driven monitoring systems, surveillance and coordinated enforcement involving district administrations and police. Soren instructed officials to identify inactive mines operated by BCCL, CCL and ECL and either restore production or initiate lease cancellation proceedings. Non-operational auctioned mineral blocks should be re-evaluated and re-auctioned after lease termination, he said.

The review also focused on boosting gold mining. Noting that Jharkhand’s seven operational gold mines currently produce about 20 kg of gold annually, the chief minister called for the removal of operational bottlenecks, accelerated auction of new gold-bearing areas and greater technological investment to enhance output.

To strengthen state-owned mining entities, Soren directed the reservation of additional mineral-bearing areas for JSMDC and JMECL, filling vacant posts and framing standard operating procedures. He also stressed sustainable mining practices, environmental compliance and better utilisation of DMFT funds.