A report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) states that illegal mining activities during the year 2019-20 increased 169 per cent in comparison to 2015-16 in the state.
Rajasthan is blessed with 81 varieties of minerals, out of which 57 are being commercially exploited. The state has the highest number of mining leases in the country. There were frequent reports of the rampant illegal mining of minerals, the CAG report tabled in the State Legislative Assembly recently cautioned.
The CAG has conducted a performance report to assess whether the State Government is taking adequate measures to curb illegal mining and to identify/check the cases of illegal mining in the state by using Remote Sensing Data and available Geographic Information System (GIS).
The CAG says the Mines Department itself identified 48,486 cases of illegal mining activities during the years 2015 to 2020, and the illegal mining cases during 2019-20 were increased 169 per cent as compared to 2015-16.
With the use of remote sensing data and GIS Technology, CAG audit identified illegal mining activities in 122 ases nearby sanctioned leases in five selected Tehsils under five selected Divisions out of total 49 divisions.
Thus, the identified area of illegal mining was 83.25 hectare. CAG also noted 13 mining leases where mineral was not excavated, however 5.20 lakh tonnes was shown dispatched by misusing 22854 e-rawannas.
On October 10, 2017, the state Mines Department introduced a web-based application ‘DMGOMS’ for effective monitoring of the mining activities. However, the Department failed to utilize the system effectively. Demands related to illegal mining activities worth Rs.71.20 crore were not shown on the demand register maintained at DMGOMS in 53 cases.
In brief, the CAG noticed that despite the prevalence of Rajasthan Mineral Policy-2015, there was ample scope for improvement in strengthening the system to curb unlicensed mining activities. The use of available data and leveraging GIS technology can prove to be a powerful tool in the hands of the Rajasthan government in this regard.
The CAG also found that assessment of royalty was not finalised with due diligence which resulted in incorrect assessment of royalty, cost of mineral and compounding fee of Rs 14.20 cr in 28 cases.
Similarly the prescribed monthly and annual returns by the lessees to submit the quantity of excavated and dispatched minerals were not monitored by the Mining Department.
The performance of vigilance wing was not upto the mark and the purpose of establishment of specialised wing for identification of illegal mining activities was also defeated to that extent.
The CAG has made seven points recommendations to contain the unlicensed mining in the state including use of Remote Sensing/GIS technology such as Google Earth Pro application to identify illegal mining activities along with other modern technology such as drone survey to expedite identification of illegal mining activities, and do away the overlapping of leases.
When tried to contact, Rajasthan Mines and Petroleum Minister Pramod Jain Bhaya was not available for his reaction on the CAG report. Whereas the former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in her speech at Salasar quoted the CAG report alleging that corruption is at its peak in Rajasthan.