The Government of Punjab on December 01, 2025, issued the Punjab Minor Mineral (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2025 to further amend the Punjab Minor Mineral Rules, 2013.
The following amendments have been stated:
• In rule 70, sub-rule (2A) shall be omitted.
• In the said rules, for rules 72(A), 72(B) and 72(C), the following rules shall be substituted, namely:-
“72(A) Registration of carrier or machinery or excavation equipment and installation of GPS device.- (1) Any mode of carrier or machinery or excavation equipment, mechanically driven or otherwise, used for excavation and/or transportation of minor mineral from anywhere in the State, in whatever form, shall be required to be registered with the Director or such officer as authorized by him for the said purpose upon payment of such fee and for such period, as specified in the Schedule. All such registration certificates shall be issued through online mode.
(2) All such carriers or machinery or excavation equipment shall be required to be fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) for real time tracking to monitor their movement. The GPS shall be fitted in such manner as outlined by the Department.
(3) No mineral concession holder or a short-term permit holder or any registered stakeholder with the Department under these rules shall allow excavation and/or transportation of any minor mineral from their concession area, in a carrier or machinery or excavation equipment of whatever description, which is not registered with the Department and not fitted with the GPS as such in accordance with these rules.
(4) Carrier or machinery or excavation equipment deployed for excavation and/or transportation of minor mineral from any other State into or through the State of Punjab shall also be required to be registered through online mode with the Director or such officer as authorized by him for the said purpose upon payment of such fee and for such period, as specified in the Schedule. Such carrier or machinery or excavation equipment shall also be required to be fitted with the GPS in such manner as outlined by the Department.
(5) The Government may cancel the registration of any carrier or machinery or excavation equipment or take any other action as is deemed fit, if such carrier or machinery or excavation equipment is found to indulge in violation of these rules and may debar its registration as such for future.
(6) Any carrier or machinery or excavation equipment found unregistered and/or without GPS fitted during excavation and/or transportation of minor mineral in the State shall be considered to indulge in violation of these rules and action shall be initiated against such carrier or machinery or excavation equipment under these rules by an authorized officer.
(7) The registration of existing carrier or machinery or excavation equipment, if not already done or renewed, and fitment of GPS, shall be got done by the respective owner or person in charge or person in possession of such carrier or machinery or excavation equipment, within such period, as specified by the Director from time to time. If the registration of carrier or machinery or excavation equipment and fitment of GPS is not got done within the specified period, then twice the fee specified in the Schedule for the same, along with such penalty as may be specified by the Government, from time to time, shall be payable by such owner or person.
(8) Global Positing System (GPS) installation in a carrier or machinery or excavation equipment shall be mandatory for the registration of new carrier or machinery or excavation equipment. 72(B) Procedure for submission of application and grant of registration to a carrier.- (1) The owner or person in charge or person in possession of any carrier holding a valid registration certificate from the Transport Department and intending to use such carrier for transportation of mineral, shall submit his application in Form U.
(2) After checking the particulars of the applicant and verifying the validity of documents issued by the Transport Department, the carrier registration certificate shall be issued in Form V, for such period as applied for. The carrier registration certificate shall be produced by the owner or person in charge or person in possession of carrier, to any authorized officer on demand.
72(C) Procedure for submission of application and grant of registration to machinery or excavation equipment.-
(1) The owner or person in charge or person in possession of any such machinery or excavation equipment, holding a valid registration certificate from the Transport Department where mandated by law,and intending to use such machinery or excavation equipment for excavation of minor mineral, shall submit his application in Form W for registration of machinery or excavation equipment.
(2) After checking the particulars of the applicant and verifying the validity of documents issued by the Transport Department where mandated by law, the machinery or excavation equipment registration certificate shall be issued in Form X. The registration shall be valid for the Financial Year and shall be got renewed annually. The registration certificate shall be produced by the owner or person in charge or person in possession of machinery or Excavation equipment, to any authorized officer on demand.”
• In the said rules, after rule 72 (C), the following rule shall be added, namely:-
“72(D) Non-compliance with carrier or machinery or excavation equipment registration and GPS fitment requirements.- Wherever it is found that a carrier or machinery or excavation equipment is being used for excavating and/or transporting any minor mineral, in whatever form, without a valid registration and/or GPS fitment the same shall be dealt in the following manner, namely: - (i) where the carrier or machinery or excavation equipment is involved in violation of these rules for the first time, the said minor mineral shall be liable to be seized along-with the impounding of the carrier or machinery or excavation equipment which may be released by the authorized officer only upon realization of payment from the owner or person in charge or person in possession of the carrier or machinery or excavation equipment, of applicable penalty fee at a rate as specified by the Government from time to time. In case of failure to deposit such penalty fee by the owner or person in-charge or person in possession of carrier or machinery or excavation equipment, action shall be taken under section 21 of the Act; and
(ii) wherever a carrier or machinery or excavation equipment is involved in a repeated violation of these rules, the authorized officer shall take action as per section 21 of the Act.”
They shall come into force on and with effect from December 01, 2025.
[Notification No.G.S.R.184/C.A.67/1957/Ss.15 and 23C/Amd.(14)/2025]
