Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, July 16

The administration is drafting a new policy to tighten regulation of minor mineral mining, strengthen enforcement against illegal extraction and introduce technology-driven monitoring of mining operations, officials said on Thursday.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a meeting to review the proposed Comprehensive Minor Mining Policy-2026, which aims to address gaps in the existing regulatory framework while promoting transparent and sustainable management of the sector.

Officials said the proposed policy would seek to align mining regulations with central legislation, improve environmental compliance and simplify approval processes through greater inter-departmental coordination.

Dulloo directed officials to ensure that the policy was legally robust and incorporated best practices adopted by other Indian states, while taking into account the specific requirements of Jammu and Kashmir.

He also called for stronger measures to deter illegal mining, protection of the livelihoods of traditional mining communities and the development of a digital ecosystem to improve transparency and oversight.

The draft framework proposes the use of technologies such as geo-fencing, electronic transit permits and real-time monitoring of mineral transportation, while exploring a “mine-to-market” tracking system to improve accountability.

Officials also discussed introducing a single-window mechanism for statutory clearances, periodic revisions of penalties for violations and third-party audits for mining on private land.

The meeting identified delays in environmental approvals, inadequate riverbed management and the absence of a mechanism to prioritise mineral supplies for government infrastructure projects among the shortcomings of the current system.

The administration also plans to engage the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) in developing the proposed digital platform.

Officials said the Centre for Innovation, Technology Assessment and Good Governance (CITaG) would revise the draft policy after incorporating suggestions from stakeholder departments before it is finalised.