VIJAYAWADA: Director of Mines and Geology VG Venkata Reddy said the mining revenue increased to a whopping Rs 4,756 crore in 2022-23 from Rs 1,950 crore in 2018-19. Speaking to mediapersons at the AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) office on Friday, he felt that the reforms introduced by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Mines and Geology Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy in the mining sector resulted in increase in revenue.
The reforms helped provide the required minerals to industries, besides improving the employment opportunities for youth in the mining sector, he said. “The government is effectively controlling the illegal mining activities in the State by constituting 13 vigilance squads and setting up a toll free number 1800 5994599,” he asserted.
While 424 cases related to illegal mining were filed from 2014 to 19, a total of 786 cases were registered in the last four years. In Chittoor district alone, 96 cases were registered from 2019 to 23.A total of Rs 12.62 crore revenue was generated from temporary permissions given to gravel mining from 2014 to 19. The revenue increased to Rs 65.24 crore in the past four years, Venkata Reddy explained.