To provide minor minerals at a cheaper rate and accelerate industrial growth, the Uttar Pradesh government has identified 790 new mining areas in the state.
The newly identified mining areas are primarily located in 10 districts namely Mirzapur, Jhansi, Prayagraj, Banda, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Saharanpur, Jalaun, Bijnor and Gorakhpur.
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the state geology and mining department to prepare an action plan to ease the supply of ‘maurang’, sand, building stones and other minor minerals, and soften their market prices.
Besides, the state will harness the railways network for the transportation of such minor minerals. He pointed out that the availability of minor minerals is currently inadequate to meet the demand in UP.
“As a result, these minerals are brought from other states, causing a substantial increase in their prices. Moreover, during the rainy season, their prices skyrocket, thus causing losses not only to the general public but also to the government,” the CM lamented.
Yogi emphasised the need for ample supply of industrial minerals to boost the industrial sector and facilitate the state’s path toward becoming a trillion-dollar economy.
Meanwhile, UP additional chief secretary, geology and mining, Anil Kumar said the intent to harness new mines had been put into action.
UP geology and mining secretary Roshan Jacob said 328 new mining areas have been identified in Mirzapur, 84 in Jhansi, 36 in Prayagraj, 34 in Banda, 26 each in Hamirpur and Mahoba, 20 in Saharanpur, 18 in Jalaun, 15 in Bijnor and 14 in Gorakhpur.
At the same time, 189 new areas have been identified for mining in other districts of the state.
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The survey work has commenced in these newly designated areas to assess the quantity of minor minerals, she added.