Geologists to Get District Targets as Karnataka Aims for ₹11,000 Crore Mining Revenue: Rohini Sindhuri
Bengaluru, July 24: Every officer of the Department of Mines and Geology will be assigned specific operational and revenue targets to help achieve the ₹11,000 crore revenue goal set for the current financial year, Secretary of MSME and Mines & Geology Rohini Sindhuri has said.
Chairing a progress review meeting of the Department, Sindhuri directed that every district Geologist work in a target-driven manner, with individual targets covering revenue collection, field inspections and overall departmental performance.
She instructed officials to carry out regular inspections of all mines under their jurisdiction, closely monitor worker safety, ensure strict compliance with mandatory safety standards and periodically review mining operations.
Referring to the recent stone quarry accident in Bengaluru Rural district, she directed officers to maintain continuous vigilance over safety practices at every mining site and ensure that such incidents do not recur. She said there should be no compromise on safety.
The Secretary said the Department has been assigned a revenue target of ₹11,000 crore for the current financial year, compared to ₹6,500 crore achieved in the previous financial year. She added that the Department aims to mobilise ₹2,000 crore through the One-Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme and instructed officials to achieve this target within the next six months.
Beginning next month, district-wise monthly review meetings will be conducted to monitor progress. Officers were directed to continuously monitor activities within their jurisdictions and regularly review achievement of assigned targets.
Sindhuri said the State Government expects higher revenue generation, effective administration and stricter enforcement of mining laws. She added that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has high expectations from the Department and urged officers to adopt a responsible, target-oriented and result-driven approach.
She also noted that the recent large-scale transfer exercise carried out under the Chief Minister’s directions has been largely completed, with 98 per cent of transferred officers having reported to their new postings.
The meeting was attended by S. Rangappa, Director of the Department of Mines and Geology, senior departmental officers, Senior Geologists and mining officials from districts across the State.
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