Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to conduct a comprehensive survey of the state’s mineral resources to identify valuable deposits and unlock their commercial potential. Reviewing the Mines Department at his camp office, the Chief Minister stressed the need for scientific mineral mapping and promoting value addition through mineral processing within the state to boost revenue and create employment opportunities.
Naidu said Andhra Pradesh’s rich mineral reserves, including beach sand, rare earth minerals, iron ore, manganese, alumina, titanium, ilmenite and monazite, offer immense economic potential. He asked the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation to explore ways to monetise these resources with expert guidance. The Chief Minister also proposed setting up a rare earth minerals cluster covering Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Kerala, while directing officials to study gold reserves at Jonnagiri and Chigurugunta and assess other mineral blocks for future exploration.
The Chief Minister also instructed officials to strengthen monitoring of mining activities and ensure transparency in sand mining operations. He ordered the use of CCTV cameras, satellite imagery and GPS tracking to regulate sand transportation and prevent illegal mining. While noting that the government is foregoing nearly ₹1,000 crore annually by providing sand free of cost, Naidu emphasised that the policy should be implemented transparently so that its benefits reach the public without misuse.
