Jaipur, Feb. 7 -- NITI Aayog has identified five aspirational districts - Sirohi, Jaisalmer, Baran, Karauli and Dholpur - for focused development in mining-affected regions, with the state government intensifying efforts to ensure better utilisation of District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) funds under national guidelines. Principal secretary of mines, geology and petroleum T Ravikant held a video conference with district collectors, directing them to strengthen coordination and accelerate implementation of projects aimed at improving infrastructure and livelihoods in mineral-bearing areas. Ravikant said NITI Aayog has laid emphasis on efficient execution in the identified districts along with 27 aspirational blocks across the state, aligning with guidelines issued by the Central Government under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY). The initiative aims to channel mining revenues into priority sectors such as health, education, skill development, drinking water and community infrastructure to improve living standards in resource-rich but often underdeveloped regions. To strengthen transparency and oversight, the department is preparing to launch a dedicated DMFT portal that will track project implementation and monitoring at both state and district levels. Officials say it will improve accountability, ensure timely progress reporting and help streamline fund utilisation. He also noted that the formation of a Project Management Unit is in its final stages, which will support coordination between Centre, state departments and local authorities....