Jaipur, Dec 2 (IANS): Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Monday said that Rajasthan is the first state in the country as far as mineral block auctioning is concerned.

“We have auctioned 47 major mineral blocks within its first year, surpassing the previous government’s total of 34 blocks over five years. We have also auctioned 426 minor mineral plots in our first year as compared to 282 plots during the previous government’s tenure,” the Chief Minister said during a review meeting of the Mines and Petroleum Department at the Chief Minister's Office.

He emphasised that mineral resources should be utilised for public welfare and directed officials to maintain transparency.

He also instructed them to prepare an action plan for the timely operation of the refinery project by engaging with the concerned firm.

The Chief Minister highlighted the recent approval of the new Mineral Policy 2024 and M-Sand Policy 2024 by the Cabinet and said that the new policies aim to promote employment in mining-based industries, encourage industrial investments, provide opportunities for local youth, and curb illegal mining activities.

“The M-Sand policy, in particular, will encourage the establishment of M-Sand units as an affordable alternative to gravel,” the Chief Minister said.

He also urged officers to ensure compliance with regulations in mining activities to prevent illegal practices and promote legal mining while calling for regular auctions of mining leases.

During the meeting, it was revealed that the royalty revenue from major minerals increased by ?270.45 crore, while royalty from non-major minerals grew by ?199.45 crore till October 2024.

Additionally, the Mines Department generated over ?1,012 crore from the auction of mineral gravel plots in 2024-25—none of which were auctioned under the previous administration.

Revenue from the e-auction of minor mineral plots reached ?396 crore, and ?4,957 crore was utilised from the DMFT (District Mineral Foundation Trust) fund.