Significant potash reserves found in three mining blocks in Punjab

Punjab’s Minister for Mining and Water Resources, Barinder Kumar Goyal, has announced a significant breakthrough in potash mining, positioning Punjab as a frontrunner in mineral exploration.

The Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government has successfully identified vast potash reserves across three key mining blocks in Southwest Punjab, making it the first state in India to discover such substantial deposits.

Key Locations of Potash Discovery

During a press conference, Minister Goyal revealed that India imports 5 million tonnes of potash annually for use in fertilizers and industrial applications.

However, with newly identified reserves in Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka districts, Punjab is set to reduce dependency on imports.

The specific mining blocks identified include:

• Kabarwala block (Muktsar Sahib)
• Sherewala & Ramsara block (Fazilka)
• Shergarh & Dalmir Khera block (Fazilka)

No Land Acquisition; Eco-Friendly Extraction

Minister Goyal assured the public that no land acquisition will be required, and agricultural land will remain unaffected. The potash extraction process will utilize an advanced drilling system to ensure zero impact on land ownership.

Additionally, a comprehensive environmental and social impact assessment is being conducted before operations commence.

“No harm will come to agricultural land, and extraction will follow environmentally safe procedures,” stated Minister Goyal.

Economic Boost for Punjab & Revenue Generation

Highlighting the economic benefits, Minister Goyal emphasized that the initiative aligns with Arvind Kejriwal’s vision of making Punjab economically self-reliant through mining. While auctioning rights rest with the Central Government, the royalty revenue will directly benefit Punjab.

The state government has already approved mining in the Kabarwala block, and once the Central Government completes the auction process, extraction will begin. The potash deposits lie at a depth of 450 meters, with further exploration ongoing to identify additional reserves in surrounding areas.

Future Plans & Expansion of Mining Sector

Responding to media queries, Minister Goyal shared that the three potash blocks cover approximately 18 square kilometers, with further exploration ongoing. He also revealed that:

• In 2024, Punjab earned ₹288 crore from sand and gravel mining.
• 104 new mining sites are set to become operational soon.
• 27 locations along Punjab’s rivers have been identified for sand mining, further boosting state revenue.

Minister Goyal was accompanied by MLA Narinder Pal Singh Sawna (Fazilka), MLA Amandeep Singh Goldy Musafir (Balluana), MLA Jagdeep Goldy Kamboj (Jalalabad), Director of Mining 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 also visited Sherewala and Shergarh villages to inspect the potash discovery sites, marking a historic moment for Punjab’s mining sector.