Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced on Saturday that the state government intends to utilise advanced LiDAR-based drone technology to monitor mining activities and boost revenue. This initiative will commence with a pilot project in the Pune district, reported news agency PTI.
The state revenue minister highlighted that despite extensive excavation of minor minerals such as murum, sand, and stone, the government is not generating the anticipated revenue.
“There is a significant difference between the figures on paper and the actual excavation. To address this, the state has decided to deploy drones equipped with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology for precise mapping and measurement of mining areas,” he stated.
Furthermore, Bawankule recently convened a meeting with district officials regarding this matter.
He emphasised that transparent and technological solutions are essential to enhance mining revenue in the state, and this drone-based survey project is expected to be decisive in achieving that goal.
“Using drones, the quantity of stone or murum present in a mining area can be measured with accuracy. This will help increase revenue and bring more transparency to the system,” the minister said, according to PTI.
He also mentioned that the technology is anticipated to curb illegal mining activities.
“Through direct drone surveys, we can gather evidence of unauthorised excavation, making it easier for the revenue machinery to take action,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister Bawankule revealed that digital mapping of both temporarily and permanently licensed mining areas will be undertaken as part of the project. This will assist in future planning and record-keeping.
“Standardised base maps of all operational and closed mines will be created, and these can be referred to in subsequent surveys,” he explained.
A system will also be developed to facilitate virtual inspection of each mine, the minister confirmed.
“The platform will allow the administration to view and monitor mining areas in digital format,” he said.
The pilot project will encompass 97 mines in the Pune district, where regular drone-based measurements will be conducted.
Following its success, the revenue department plans to expand the initiative to other districts in phases, he confirmed.
“Significant mineral excavation is taking place in other districts as well. In this context, accurate data, routine monitoring, and prevention of misuse are essential. The technology will not only increase the state revenue but also help maintain environmental balance,” Bawankule concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)
