VIJAYAWADA: After generating a revenue of Rs 2,917 crore through the mines and geology department in the previous fiscal despite the Corona pandemic, the state government is eyeing to generate Rs 4,000 crore in the current fiscal.
Addressing officials of the mining department during review meeting held here on Wednesday, Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath and Panchayat Raj and Mines and Geology department Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy congratulated them for achieving 81 per cent of target by generating Rs 2,917 crore from mining last fiscal.
The officials said illegal mining activity was dealt with an iron hand and Rs 42.66 crore was collected as fine after filing 10,736 cases and conducting raids by the Vigilance across the state last year. Director of the Mines and Geology (DMG) department VG Venkat Reddy said that they have adopted a three-pronged strategy to increase the mining revenue.
In all, Rs 654 crore additional income was generated by implementing the said system on a pilot basis in Srikakulam, Prakasam, Chittoor and Anantapur districts, he said and exuded confidence that the revenue through mines and geology, which was around Rs 3,000 crore last year, will be increased to Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore in the current fiscal.