Jaipur, Jun 21 (IANS): Rajya Sabha Memeber of Parliment (MP) Kirodi Lal Meena on Wednesday exposed the scams in the Department of Mines & Geology and accused the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of Rs. 66000 crore mine scam.

"Even during this tenure of Gehlot, there are irregularities in the Mines Department. The mines of the state are being looted together," the MP, while addressing a press conference, said.

The MP said that Rajasthan is the first state in the country where the maximum number of mining leases have been given. Instead of e-auction, permits have been distributed in charity.

"Illegal mining is going on in the state. The government made an online management system software, in which a scam of 27000 crore was done by the mine owners," he said.

The MP said that from March 2022 there is a complete ban on mining in the Aravalli hills. Despite this, mining is going on in large numbers there. Illegal mining is being done at more than 50 places in Ramgarh tehsil of Alwar district in which the government has waived the penalty of about Rs 200 crore. For mining in Rajasthan, 48 per cent exemption is given in the penalty on the spot, he said.