Jammu District Mineral Department: A Beacon of Revenue Generation and Enforcement

DMO Jammu’s Crackdown on Illegal Mining Yields Record Revenue and Transparency, over 3,000 violators penalized

• Through collaboration with district and tehsil level task force cells, the DMO has cracked down on illegal mining activities, seizing vehicles, and imposing penalties on crusher units, MDL holders, and other lease violators.
• Stringent enforcement efforts have resulted in a historic collection of over 7.75 crores in penalties, the highest among all districts in J&K for two consecutive years.
•  The DMO Jammu leads the region in revenue generation, with approximately 27 crores collected through royalties, DMFT funds, and penalties over the past two years.
•  Five rounds of e-auctions for 11 new mineral blocks generated a remarkable 75 crores in revenue and an additional 60 lakhs in penalties from defaulting bidders.

jj correspondent

Jammu, April 15: The District Mineral Officer (DMO) Jammu has released an impressive report highlighting significant achievements in curbing illegal mining, boosting revenue, and ensuring responsible mineral extraction within the district.
Enforcement is being done with the help of District level task force cells, with the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu as chairperson and SSP Jammu as one of the members, and at the tehsil level task force cell, with the concerned tehsildar as chairperson and the concerned SHO as one of the members.
With a limited field staff of only eight personnel, the DMO Jammu, in collaboration with district and tehsil level task force cells, has cracked down on over 3,000 violators in the past two years. This includes seizing vehicles, penalizing crusher units, and taking action against Mining Department Lease (MDL) holders and other lease holders who violated regulations. The department’s stringent enforcement efforts have resulted in a record-breaking penalty collection of over 7.75 crores, the highest among all districts in J&K for two consecutive years.
The DMO Jammu has also generated a total revenue of approximately 27 crores through royalties, District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) funds, and penalties, again securing the top position among all districts over the past two years.
To meet the growing demand for minerals in Jammu district, the department conducted five successful e-auctions, generating a staggering 75 crores in revenue through the highest bid amounts for 11 freshly auctioned blocks. Moreover, the department conducted e-auctions 5 times and collected 60 lakhs in penalties from defaulting bidders, which is 5 times demonstrating its commitment to fair and transparent processes. So effectively in the last two years, the total revenue generated from District Jammu is more than 100 crores.
The DMO Jammu has also transitioned from offline to online systems for generating e-challans, leading the way in digitizing operations and ensuring the mandatory use of e-challans for mineral transportation within the district.
The report acknowledges the recent expiry of environmental clearance certificates for several minor mineral blocks, causing temporary operational halts. However, with the establishment of the J&K Environment Impact Assessment Authority (JKEIAA), the DMO is optimistic about obtaining necessary clearances and resuming operations by the end of this month.
Meanwhile, nine more minor mineral blocks are undergoing the single-window clearance process, which, upon approval, will bring the total number of operational blocks in the district to 50. This expansion is expected to ensure a steady supply of minerals at affordable rates for consumers and developmental projects.
With numerous projects of national importance underway in Jammu district, including the DAK Expressway, Ring Road, Jammu-Poonch Road widening, and airport extension, the demand for minerals has surged. The DMO Jammu remains committed to fulfilling these requirements through legal channels and responsible extraction practices, ensuring the sustainable development of the region.