The Chief Minister's Office of Chhattisgarh announced on Tuesday, 9 June 2026 that the state cabinet has approved an amendment to the Chhattisgarh Mineral (Mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2009, mandating RFID tags and vehicle tracking systems on all mineral-carrying vehicles and introducing modern technology-based mechanisms for mineral grade determination and quantity assessment. The cabinet post stated: 'मंत्रिपरिषद की बैठक में छत्तीसगढ़ खनिज नियम, 2009 में संशोधन को मंजूरी दी गई' ['The Council of Ministers meeting approved an amendment to the Chhattisgarh Mineral Rules, 2009']. The decision, the office said, will establish effective control over illegal mining, transport and storage, enhance transparency, and ensure an increase in state revenue.

Context

The Chhattisgarh Mineral (Mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2009 were originally framed under the central Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act to govern the extraction, movement and stocking of minerals within the state. The rules have remained the primary regulatory instrument for mineral operations in Chhattisgarh for over a decade and a half. Tuesday's cabinet decision marks a significant update to that framework, bringing it in line with contemporary surveillance technologies.

Policy Backdrop

Chhattisgarh is among India's leading producers of coal, iron ore and bauxite, and has faced persistent challenges of unauthorised extraction in remote and forested areas. Mineral-rich states across India have progressively adopted electronic tracking and surveillance tools to curb royalty evasion and the illegal movement of minerals. The mandate for RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags and vehicle tracking systems on mineral-carrying vehicles fits squarely within this broader administrative shift toward digitised monitoring of natural-resource supply chains. The introduction of technology-based grade determination and quantity assessment further aims to reduce discretionary assessments and human intervention at weigh-bridges and check-posts.

Stakeholders and Impact

The amendment directly affects mineral transporters, mining leaseholders, and state revenue officials across Chhattisgarh. Transporters will be required to equip their vehicles with RFID tags and connect to the vehicle tracking system, adding a layer of compliance costs but also creating a verifiable paper trail for every consignment. For the state government, the technology mandate is expected to plug leakages in royalty collection and strengthen enforcement against illegal mining operations. The Chhattisgarh Cabinet framed the decision explicitly as a revenue-protection measure alongside a governance reform.

What's Next

The approved amendment will need to be notified in the Chhattisgarh state gazette before it acquires legal force. A phased rollout schedule for RFID tags on mineral-carrying vehicles and the procurement or deployment of the tracking infrastructure will be key milestones to watch. The state's ability to integrate RFID data with its existing mineral dispatch and royalty systems will ultimately determine how effectively the amendment translates into measurable revenue gains and a reduction in illegal mining activity.