Tamil Nadu Plans Real-Time System to Track Minerals and Curb Illegal Mining

The Story in Brief

Tamil Nadu plans an end-to-end mineral management system to track production and transport in real time. Finance minister N Marie Wilson said it would improve transparency, curb illegal mining and quarrying, and reduce revenue leakages. District-level vigilance and enforcement wings will be created under the natural resources department.

Officials said 1,307 vehicles were seized and 1,161 FIRs registered over alleged illegal mineral transport in the past three months. Inspections found violations at 155 of 431 quarries. A task force will inspect crushing units and stockyards. The government has allocated Rs 438 crore and expects the IT measures to generate Rs 15,000 crore more revenue.

The Indian Opinion

The plan targets a recognised enforcement problem, but its impact cannot yet be assessed. Seizures and inspections show official action, not necessarily a decline in illegal mining. The projected revenue gain may be difficult to achieve without reliable technology, coordination and regular public audits. Clear performance data would help citizens judge whether the promised transparency and enforcement are being delivered.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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