Even as the State has been reeling under a severe financial crisis, the Department of Mining and Geology has netted a record revenue in the first half of the current fiscal, riding high on improved tax collection coupled with growth in average consumption. The department has collected a total of ₹273.97 crore till October 31 in the current fiscal, registering a growth of around 70% compared to the corresponding period in the previous fiscal.
According to Industries Minister P. Rajeeve, the increase was a result of the reforms implemented by the State government in the sector, including the introduction of e-office and Compass software. During the same period last year, the government netted ₹ 165.96 crore, a revenue increase of 17% compared to the previous year, which was the highest annual revenue growth recorded till 2021-22. But it has jumped to 56% in 2022-23 and 70% in the current year.
In 2016, the number of quarries operational in the State was 3,505, while the total revenue from these quarries was ₹138.72 crore during the same year. The number of quarries operating in the State had now dropped to just 651, but the revenue collection went up to ₹273.97 crore, said the minister. The revenue mainly comprised royalties and various fees imposed on mining activities in the State.
