Bhubaneswar, December 4: The Odisha government has taken significant steps to combat illegal minor mineral mining and transportation, collecting Rs 126 crore in fines between 2022 and October 2025, Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena in the State Assembly informed the state Assembly.
Minister Jena said on Thursday that the state had earned Rs 655 crore in revenue in the current financial year as of September. To tackle illegal transportation, authorities have made 15,187 seizures across all 30 districts.
The government has registered 3,219 cases, resulting in fines totaling Rs 126.51 crore. In response to rising concerns, 11 tehsils have been identified as hotspots for illegal sand mining. These include Dharmashala, Jharasuguda, Pipili, Tangi, Marshaghai, Barang, Kanihal, Jaleswar, Hindol, Purushottampur, and Raghunathpur. Among these, Hindol, Purushottampur, and Raghunathpur have seen the highest levels of minor mineral theft, prompting authorities to increase monitoring and enforcement efforts in these areas.
