C'garh launches online portal for mgmt of mines and minerals

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today launched an online portal for integrated management of mines and minerals in the state.
The portal named 'Khanij (minerals) Online Portal', launched here during a ceremony, will facilitate generation of e-transit pass, filing of applications and deposit of royalty and other mining-related payments to miners, an official here said.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said, there was a need of a process based on information technology for management of mines and mineral resources spread in a major part of the state which will now be facilitated by the launch of this web-based facility.

"It is a step in the direction of 'ease of doing business'," he added.
This online facility will also be available in 'mobile app' form which will drastically reduce the use of paper work in record maintenance.
It will help mining lease holders to deposit royalty, District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), cess and other payments at a single click of mouse, he said.

Through this application, the mining department will also have access to real-time information regarding movement of mineral-loaded vehicles by sitting in the headquarter.
To check illegal mining and transportation of minerals, checkposts of the department will be connected online through mining department offices and mines, the CM said.

Besides, GPS, mobiles and high-tech IT equipment will be provided to the regional investigating officers of the department for the purpose, he added.
The contribution of mineral resources has been vital in socio-economic progress of Chhattisgarh.
The revenue from mineral resources which was merely Rs 400 crore in 2003 has reached to Rs 4,000 crore in 2017, he said.
Meanwhile, mineral resources department secretary Subodh Kumar Singh gave a power point presentation on Online Minerals Portal.