Only 51.78% of mining revenue target achieved by Bihar till February 14

According to documents from Bihar, officials have only reached Rs 1,896.43 crore of their revenue goal of Rs 3,662.39 crore for the 2023-24 fiscal year from the mining sector as of February 14, 2024.

Patna: The Mines and Geology department of Bihar government has expressed concern over revenue collections falling short of the target and warned officials of strict disciplinary action if they fail to get their act together before the financial year comes to a close.

Officials have managed to achieve just Rs 1,896.43 crore of its revenue target of Rs 3,662.39 crore for 2023-24 from the mining sector till February 14, 2024, according to documents.

As per the latest review meeting chaired by the Director of Mines and Geology the department has achieved 51.78 per cent of the mining revenue collection target till February 14. In some districts such as Nalanda, Kaimur, Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, Jehanabad, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Munger, Kishanganj, Banka, Bhagalpur and Saran the revenue collection is less than 50 per cent, it said.

"If the revenue collection in these districts does not increase immediately, strict disciplinary action will be initiated against the concerned officials of these districts. Officials have to ensure that they meet their targets. Barring a few districts, the majority of the districts have performed below par," says the document.

"Concerned District Mining Officers (DMOs) have been asked to step up efforts and crack down on illegal mining (sand), transportation, and storage by the mafia also. The levy and revenue collections from different bodies (government) by the department officials of Munger, Nalanda, Begusarai, Nawada, Kishanganj, Kaimur, Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Motihari (East Champaran) and Aurangabad are also not satisfactory... ", says the document.

The department officials have so far collected only Rs 221.61 crore, which is 52.90 per cent of the total target of Rs 418.49 crore, from penal actions.

Districts where penal actions need to be intensified include Jamui, Nalanda, Kaimur, Bhagalpur, Seohar, Rohtas, Sheikhpura, Arwal, Aurangabad, "To check incidences of illegal mining and transportation, officials must conduct raids on regular basis," said the document.

A senior official of the department on condition of anonymity said, "Over the years, the revenue collection from mines and minerals has increased substantially. The overall revenue collection from mines and minerals has increased from Rs 1,082.72 crore in 2017-18 to more than Rs 3,000 crore in 2022-23," he said.