Lucknow, June 30 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday emphasised the crucial role of the mining sector in Uttar Pradesh's journey towards achieving the trillion-dollar economy goal. He noted that the sector has evolved beyond just mineral extraction to become a key driver of economic growth, investment attraction and local employment generation. During a comprehensive review meeting of the department of geology and mining, he said U.P's mining policy has now emerged as a model of transparency and technological efficiency. Highlighting the department's performance, he noted that mineral revenue has recorded an average annual growth rate of 18.14% between FY 2021-22 and FY 2024-25. In FY 2024-25, revenue from major minerals stood at Rs 608.11 crore. In just the first two months of FY 2025-26, the state has already generated Rs 623 crore in revenue. The chief minister was informed that leases for major minerals such as phosphorite, iron ore, and gold have been successfully auctioned in recent years. He directed officials to expedite the composite licensing process further and ensure timely identification of potential mining zones along with the prompt preparation of geological reports. Emphasising the impact of transparent and investor-friendly policies, the chief minister noted that prominent companies like JSW, Adani Group, Tata Steel, and UltraTech Cement have shown strong interest in investing in Uttar Pradesh. To effectively curb illegal mining, transportation, and storage, the chief minister called for a robust monitoring mechanism in coordination with transport operators. He made it clear that mining activities will not be permitted in river catchment areas and strict accountability will be enforced against responsible officials if violations occur. Officials reported that 57 technology-enabled check gates have been installed, and 21,477 vehicles have been blacklisted. Systems such as the Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), colour coding, and white tagging are functioning efficiently. He directed that only GPS-enabled vehicles meeting the required standards should be authorised for mineral transportation and that their movement must be tracked in real-time through the VTS module. Since 2024, the PGRS laboratory and drone surveys have identified 99 potential mining sites, of which 23 have been deemed suitable for operations. Post-monsoon assessments have also been conducted for sand/morang deposits in 52 locations. Appreciating these efforts, the chief minister instructed that monitoring of active leases and volumetric analysis for accurate extraction assessment should be further intensified. The meeting was also informed that the regulation fees collected from brick kilns amounted to Rs 258.61 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 70.80 crore as of 2025-26. The chief minister directed that the brick kiln sector be modernised....