Cabinet approves e-bidding for sand mining

The Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday approved fresh mine auctions through progressive e-bidding to boost the state revenue and bring greater transparency into the mining sector. The decision will bring to an end the earlier practice of granting contracts of mines through reverse bidding process, an official spokesperson said.

The decision, taken by the state cabinet under the chairmanship of CM Amarinder Singh, is expected to increase the government revenue receipt to around Rs 300 crore, the spokesperson said. It will also ensure uninterrupted supply of sand and gravel (bajri) to the consumers at fair price, he added. The state government would soon implement the Integrated Mines and Minerals Management System (i3MS) to bring greater transparency into the system, he said.