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A new model of transparency and environmental protection will be created

Punjab News: The state government under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has taken a visionary and historic decision. The Cabinet has approved amendments to the Punjab Minor Mineral Rules, 2013 in mid-October 2025, under which entry fees will now be levied on mineral-carrying vehicles entering the state. This fee will be applicable on trucks and vehicles that bring sand, gravel and other similar minerals from other states to Punjab. This step will not only curb illegal mining but will also strengthen the economic condition of the state.

This decision of the Punjab Government is a major step towards curbing revenue loss and providing security to the local mining industry. For a long time, hundreds of trucks from the border areas of Punjab carrying minerals from states like Himachal, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir were entering Punjab without any valid duty. This not only resulted in loss of revenue to the Punjab government but also caused financial crisis to the local mine operators and crushing units. Now the government of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has given a clear message that the era of illegal mining and theft is going to end. The main objective of this policy is to strengthen and modernize the check-posts established on the state borders. The funds received from this entry fee will be used on operation, monitoring and maintenance of check-posts. The government is going to implement state-of-the-art technology like ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras, QR-code vehicle passes and digital monitoring systems, which will make the movement of every vehicle completely transparent and traceable. This will make the mineral transportation system more powerful, efficient and accountable than ever before.

Punjab Government has ensured complete transparency in this policy. Every vehicle will be given a digital receipt (confirmation receipt) on depositing the entry fee, which will eliminate the possibility of any kind of irregularities or corruption. Thus, the government of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is preparing an administrative model in which the interests of the public are protected through technology and honest businessmen are encouraged. This decision of the state government is not limited only to stopping illegal mining, but it will prove useful for both the development and environmental protection of the state. Where natural resources were exploited indiscriminately through illegal mining, now this policy will control that trend. Also, the revenue generated from entry fees will be used in road improvements, environmental projects and rural infrastructure, giving a new impetus to the development of Punjab.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has always advocated governance based on transparency and honesty. This kind of reform in the mining sector is not only an example of administrative reform, but also shows that the Mann government does not shy away from taking difficult but necessary decisions in the public interest. This step of the state government has also brought relief to the traders and laborers who are engaged in legitimate mining activities and were facing unfair competition for years. It can be said that this new ‘Inter-State Mining Truck Entry Fee Policy’ of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will bring revolutionary changes in the mining system of Punjab. This policy will not only protect the mineral resources of the state, but will also work in the interest of local industries, laborers and the environment. This step of the Punjab Government is proof that a new era of governance has now begun in the state – an era of transparency, accountability and honesty.