AP CM Calls for Comprehensive Mineral Mapping, Policy Push on Value Addition
Amaravati, June 30 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday directed officials to undertake comprehensive mineral mapping across the state and formulate a focused policy aimed at boosting value addition in the mining sector.
Reviewing the performance of the Mines Department at the Camp Office, the Chief Minister said the state’s vast mineral resources present significant opportunities for economic growth through scientific exploration, processing and market capitalisation.
He stressed that Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation) should explore avenues to monetise high-value mineral assets, and called for detailed studies with expert consultation to assess the full potential of mineral reserves.
Naidu underlined the need to promote value addition within the state for minerals such as beach sand, rare earth elements, iron ore, manganese and alumina, stating that local processing would generate higher revenue and employment opportunities.
He also proposed the establishment of a dedicated cluster for rare earth minerals spanning Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Kerala, and directed officials to assess reserves of strategic minerals including titanium, ilmenite and monazite, which are critical for electronics, defence, and nuclear energy applications.
Highlighting the state’s potential in gold mining, the Chief Minister referred to reserves at Jonnagiri and Chigurugunta in Chittoor district and asked officials to further examine additional mineral blocks for exploration.
Officials informed the Chief Minister that 126 locations with critical and bulk mineral deposits have already been identified in the state, and reported an 18 percent increase in mining revenue due to improved operational efficiency.
The Chief Minister also called for strict regulation and technology-driven monitoring of mining activities, including CCTV surveillance at sand reaches, satellite-based monitoring and GPS tracking of sand transport vehicles.
He noted that the government has foregone nearly ₹1,000 crore annually by supplying sand free of cost, and instructed officials to ensure transparent implementation of the policy to prevent misuse while safeguarding public benefit.
Senior officials including Mines Minister Kollu Ravindra, Chief Secretary G. Sai Prasad, and Principal Secretaries Mukesh Kumar Meena (Mines) and Piyush Kumar (Finance) attended the review meeting.
TNT KM
