Telangana set USD 3 trillion economy target, mining sector to drive growth

By NA Web Desk On Jan 9, 2026

Hyderabad: Labour and Mines Minister G. Vivek Venkatswamy said the Telangana mining sector would play a pivotal role in achieving Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s ambitious target of building a USD 3 trillion economy in the coming years.

Speaking at the Rashtriya Khanij Chintan Shivir-2026 in Gandhinagar on Friday, the minister said Telangana currently contributed about 2.4 percent to the national GDP. However, the government aimed to raise this share to 5 percent through sustained economic expansion. He added that reform-driven measures in the Mines and Geology Department had already resulted in a 22 percent rise in mining revenues.

The minister said the government focused on transparency, sustainability, and long-term gains in the mineral sector. According to him, Telangana adopted a strict policy of zero illegal mining, zero illegal transport, and zero overloading, even though the transition involved short-term challenges.

Telangana mining sector reforms target revenue and transparency

Vivek Venkatswamy said the state replaced the earlier first-come, first-served policy with an auction-based system for sand, minor minerals, and major minerals. As a result, the new framework ensured better price discovery and accountability in mineral allocation.

He said illegal mining remained a major challenge. Therefore, the government deployed GPS-based vehicle tracking, drone surveillance, and satellite mapping to curb violations. In addition, officials intensified checks to prevent overloading of mineral transport vehicles across Telangana.

The minister also proposed studying the use of artificial intelligence in the mining sector. He said AI tools could help prevent illegal activities more effectively and improve operational efficiency. Moreover, he stated that the government aimed to ensure the mining sector made a substantial contribution to the state budget in the coming years.

Vivek Venkatswamy thanked Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy for organising the Chintan Shivir. He said the Centre showed serious commitment to strengthening the mineral sector and its role in national economic growth. Emphasising the global context, he added that India must stay competitive in minerals amid rising international demand.