Team News Riveting
Raipur, October 24
The 20th meeting of the Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Fund Advisory Committee was held Thursday at the residence office of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
During the meeting, funds were approved for various mineral projects and infrastructure development.
Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, Chief Minister’s Secretaries P Dayanand and Rahul Bhagat, Finance Secretary Smt. Sharda Verma, Director (Minerals) Sunil Jain, Joint Director (Mineral Administration) Anurag Diwan, along with senior officials from the Mineral Resources Directorate attended the meeting.
The Chief Minister reviewed the use of funds, including previous decisions made by the Committee. Considering the available funds, he directed the officials to explore the concept of developing large-scale infrastructure in the state.
After discussions, the Committee approved an allocation of Rs 300 crore to the Chhattisgarh Railway Corporation for land acquisition and initial construction work on the Dongargarh-Kabirdham-Mungeli-Katghora railway line. In addition, Rs 83 crore was approved for mineral exploration, mineral block auctions, and IT-based regulation of mines by the Directorate of Geology and Mining.
The meeting also decided to allocate an additional Rs 20 crore for studying the potential to increase mineral revenue in the state and for engaging expert institutions to enhance the mining sector.
It is worth mentioning that five percent of the total mineral revenue received by the Mineral Resources Department each year is reserved under the Mineral Development Fund. Based on the Advisory Committee’s recommendations, this fund is utilized for constructing necessary infrastructure in relevant sectors.
