Patna. Yellow gold is proving to be a boon for the treasury of Bihar. During the financial year 2022-23, the Bihar government has earned the highest ever revenue from sand mining. The government has received a total revenue of Rs 1384.46 crore this year from sand mining, which is about 54 percent more than the previous financial year.
Increased income of Bihar
In this regard, the department’s Additional Chief Secretary cum Mines Commissioner Harjot Kaur Bamrah told news agencies that the revenue collection from sand mining in 2021-22 was Rs 745.44 crore. This year, there has been an increase of 53.84 percent in the revenue collection from sand mining in the last financial year. He said that the total revenue collection from mines and minerals was Rs 1,082.72 crore in 2017-18, which has now increased to about Rs 3,000 crore in 2022-23. He said that the revenue collection from sand mining has increased from Rs 836.57 crore in 2018-19 to Rs 1,384.46 crore in the last financial year.
Raised 165 crores from brick kiln owners as well
He told that the revenue of Rs 77.93 crore was collected from the brick kiln owners in 2022-23, while it was Rs 71 crore in 2021-22. The Mines and Geology Department of the state government also imposed heavy fines for illegal mining and collected Rs 299 crore in 2022-23, while Rs 165 crore was collected in 2021-22.
Mining department will have its own policing
The official said the department has decided to form its own dedicated police force, which will be called the mining police, to curb illegal sand mining, exploitation and transportation of minerals in the state. He said that we need our own assistant sub-inspectors (25) and constables (250), who will be part of the mining police. Apart from this, other senior officers will lead them. This force will be fully armed. The official said that a proposal in this regard has already been sent to the competent authority for approval.
