Punjab bets on crusher mining to boost revenue

All 18 sites, including eight operational ones, located in Pathankot district have received environmental clearance from the state environment impact assessment authority

The cash-strapped Punjab government has identified 133 crusher mining sites (CRMS) and granted environmental clearances for 18 of them as it looks to regulate the sector and boost revenue.

The Punjab mining and geology department expects to generate ₹73 crore in royalty from eight sites which have become operational during the current financial year. (HT file)

The mining and geology department expects to generate ₹73 crore in royalty from eight sites which have become operational during the current financial year. All 18 sites, including eight operational ones, located in Pathankot district have received environmental clearance from the state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA). Once all the identified sites become operational, the department is expecting to supply 116 lakh tonnes of legal gravel to the industry.

A detailed survey report (DSR) for crusher mining sites in Rupnagar district is also under the government’s consideration for approval.

The state earned ₹288.75 crore from mining in 2023-24, up from ₹247 crore in 2022-23. In 2025-26, the revenue from sand mining rose to ₹600 crore.

“The expected revenue from sand mining is not increasing beyond a point despite the department’s best efforts, so we are exploring alternative sources in the same field,” said a senior official of the department, requesting anonymity.

The official said regulating stone crushers was long overdue, as many had been operating haphazardly. Bringing them under the ambit of a government policy, the official added, would streamline operations and benefit all the stakeholders, including the state government.

“We welcome the government’s decision to regulate the sector, which was largely unregulated earlier. However, the cost fixed for raw material for stone crushers is on the higher side, which needs to be revised,” said Nirmal Singh, a contractor who has been allocated a stone crusher in Pathankot. According to the policy, the government is charging a royalty of ₹3.5- ₹4 per cubic metre of gravel.

The stone crusher policy in the state is governed by the Punjab Regulation of Crusher Units, Stockists and Retailers Act, 2025. It mandates compulsory online registration, environmental compliance, tracking of raw materials, and an annual renewal to operate any stone-crushing or screening-cum-washing plant in the state.

Under the initiative, crusher owners possessing gravel-bearing private land are permitted to undertake mining from their own land after obtaining all prescribed statutory approvals.

GFX

In Numbers

133

Crusher mining sites identified

18

Sites granted environmental clearance

8

Sites operational in Pathankot dist

₹73 crore

Revenue expected in current fiscal