Now Reading: Punjab Mining Revenue Tops Rs 825 Crore as Potash Work Expands
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Punjab Mining Revenue Tops Rs 825 Crore as Potash Work Expands
Punjab’s mining revenue has crossed Rs 825 crore in the current financial year, up from about Rs 120 crore under earlier governments, Mining and Geology Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal told the Assembly.…
The Story in Brief
Punjab’s mining revenue has crossed Rs 825 crore in the current financial year, up from about Rs 120 crore under earlier governments, Mining and Geology Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal told the Assembly. He said the state is pursuing potash, gold and hydrocarbon exploration beyond sand mining.
The Centre has sanctioned about Rs 19 crore for potash exploration, with drilling under way at 10 more locations, Goyal said. Geological surveys have identified gold-bearing zones near the Siswan and Budki rivers, while hydrocarbon exploration is under way in Sri Muktsar Sahib, Bathinda and Faridkot. Goyal said detailed studies must establish whether the gold and potash deposits are commercially viable and claimed Punjab could have earned Rs 20,000 crore with earlier central support.
The Indian Opinion
The easy political story is that Punjab has either discovered a mineral bonanza or wasted decades through sheer neglect. Neither claim is proved yet. Revenue figures and exploration activity matter, but geological indications are not the same as commercially workable reserves. The government should publish drilling results, project costs, environmental safeguards and royalty estimates. The real test is whether the 10 potash sites produce verified reserves and a credible extraction plan, not another Assembly claim.
Source: indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
