Minister Barinder Goyal : Punjab Achieves Major Breakthrough in Potash Mining
Punjab’s Mining and Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal, has announced a significant milestone in potash exploration, highlighting the state’s emergence as a leader in mineral discovery under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. Extensive surveys have identified substantial potash reserves across three mining blocks in Southwest Punjab.
Punjab Becomes First Indian State with Major Potash Reserves
Speaking at a press conference, Minister Barinder Goyal disclosed that India currently imports 50 lakh (5 million) tonnes of potash annually for use in fertilizers and industries. However, the discovery of potash deposits in Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka districts marks Punjab as the first state in India with such reserves. The key mining sites include the Kabarwala block (Muktsar Sahib) and the Sherewala, Ramsara, Shergarh, and Dalmir Khera blocks (Fazilka).
Environmentally Safe Mining with No Land Acquisition
Addressing public concerns,Minister Barinder Goyal assured that potash extraction will not require land acquisition, nor will it affect agricultural land. The mining process will employ advanced drilling techniques, ensuring zero impact on land ownership. Additionally, a comprehensive environmental and social impact assessment is being conducted before operations begin.
He further emphasized that the development of the mining sector in Punjab will generate employment and contribute to regional economic growth. The potash reserves are located at a depth of 450 meters, and initial studies suggest that nearby areas may also contain substantial deposits, warranting continued exploration.
Economic Gains for Punjab: Royalties and Revenue Growth
Minister Barinder Goyal highlighted that this initiative aligns with Arvind Kejriwal’s vision of making Punjab economically self-sufficient through mining. While the Central Government holds auctioning rights, the royalties from potash extraction will directly benefit Punjab. The state has already approved mining in the Kabarwala block, and once the Central Government completes the auction process, extraction will commence.
Expansion Plans & Revenue Growth
Responding to media queries, Minister Barinder Goyal stated that the three potash blocks span approximately 18 square kilometers, with further exploration underway in adjacent regions. He also reported that Punjab generated ₹288 crore in revenue from sand and gravel mining in 2024, with plans to operationalize 104 new mining sites. Additionally, 27 riverbank locations have been identified for sand mining, further boosting the state’s income.
Officials and Site Inspections
Accompanying Minister Barinder Goyal at the event were several dignitaries, including MLAs Narinder Pal Singh Sawna (Fazilka), Amandeep Singh Goldy Musafir (Balluana), and Jagdeep Goldy Kamboj (Jalalabad), along with key officials such as Mining Director Abhijeet Kaplish, Geological Survey of India Director Soyam Ranjan Mahapatra, Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu, SSP Varinder Singh Brar, Executive Engineer Jagsir Singh, and Supervising Engineer Rajan Dhingra. Earlier in the day, Minister Goyal visited the Sherewala and Shergarh villages to inspect the newly discovered potash sites.