Bihar withholds salaries of mineral dev officers over unmet revenue target

The Bihar government has withheld salaries of several district mineral development officers who have allegedly failed to meet the target of revenue collections in their respective areas in the current financial year so far, officials said on Sunday.

The Mines and Geology Department of the state government has sought explanations from such officers in Jehanabad, Gaya, Munger, Jamui and Aurangabad for "failing to meet the target of revenue collections till December 2023 in their respective districts", they said.

The department has managed to achieve around 42 per cent of its revenue target of Rs 3,590.66 crore for 2023-24 from the mining sector as it could collect just Rs 1,500 crore till December 2023, a senior official of the department said.

"Yes, the department has withheld the salaries of several district mineral development officers who failed to meet the target of revenue collections in their respective areas till December end of the current financial year.

"With the revenue collection just 42 per cent of the target so far and most of the districts showing unsatisfactory performance, MDOs concerned have been asked to step up efforts and crack down on illegal mining of (sand), transportation, and storage by the mafia", Mines and Geology Department Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Parmar Ravi Manubhai told PTI.

The officers concerned have also been asked to expedite the revenue collections and achieve the target of the current financial year, he said.

"Their salaries have been withheld till the further order," another official said.

The decision to withhold the salaries of MDOs was taken during the district-wise review of revenue collection by the department last month.

"All the officials have to ensure that they meet their targets. Barring a few, all districts have performed below par. The levy and revenue collections from different bodies (government) in Gaya, Aurangabad, Munger and Bhagalpur are also not satisfactory.

"The total collection (till December) under this head (collection from government bodies) is just Rs 329.88 crore, which is 36.05 per cent of a target of Rs. 914.98 crore," said the ACS, who is also Bihar's Mines Commissioner.

Officials have also been directed to initiate legal action and impose hefty penalties on those indulging in illegal mining in the state, he said, adding that the department has so far collected only Rs. 108.13 crore from penal actions.

Districts, where penal actions need to be intensified, include Jamui, Nawada, Seohar, Sheikhpura, Jehanabad, Kaimur, Rohtas and Bhagalpur, he said.

"It has also come to the notice of the department that incidences of illegal mining and transportation are taking place in certain areas, but officials are not conducting raids to check it. We have sought explanations from officials concerned of Jamui, Nalanda, Sheohar, Kaimur, Sheikhpura, Rohtas, Bhagalpur and Jehanabad in this regard," Manubhai said.

The department is hoping that revenue generation will pick up in the remaining three months of the current financial year.

A sustainable mining activity in Bihar has provided the state government with an avenue for revenue collection. Over the years, the mop-up from mines and minerals has increased substantially.

The overall revenue collection from mines and minerals has increased from Rs 1082.72 crore in 2017-18 to more than Rs 3,000 crore in 2022-23, the official added.