The Ministry of Mines confirmed in a Press Information Bureau release on April 24, 2026 the operationalisation of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Mining Sector Reform Incentive Scheme for FY 2026-27 with a total outlay of 5,000 crore rupees, transforming the mining sector from a resource-extraction model to a governance-led model. The Scheme has three incentive components. The Structural Reforms Component awards 100 crore rupees to a state for completing five mandated reforms by December 15, 2026, namely integration with the Unified Mining Portal for data coordination, establishment of a pre-auction committee to resolve land and title issues, formation of a state-level coordination committee for operationalisation monitoring, publication of an annual auction calendar and adoption of grade classification technology to prevent mineral misclassification. The Mine Operationalisation Rewards Component provides 20 crore rupees per block (capped at 200 crore rupees per state) for auctioning pre-cleared sites and a top-up of 250 crore rupees if a state operationalises at least ten per cent of major mineral blocks auctioned before March 31, 2026. The State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI) Component creates competitive rankings across three state categories A, B and C with prizes of 100 crore rupees for first place, 75 crore rupees for second and 50 crore rupees for third. By tying central transfers to verifiable milestones the Scheme aims to expedite production timelines, increase transparency in mineral rights and embed cooperative federalism in the strategic mining sector.