The Ministry of Mines has released the first-ever State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI) 2025, evaluating all mineral-rich states on their readiness to attract mining investment and streamline operations. Rajasthan secured the second position in Category A states, with Madhya Pradesh topping the list and Gujarat in third place.
The SMRI 2025 is a landmark initiative under the ambit of mining sector reforms. It assesses states across 17 reform areas and 79 parameters covering aspects such as ease of doing business in mining, digital governance, environmental compliance, lease management, and district-level administration. The index aims to promote a competitive federal spirit among states to improve their mining ecosystems.
Rajasthan's strong performance reflects its proactive steps in streamlining mining leases, digitising land records, and improving district-level monitoring. The state is home to major mineral reserves including limestone, marble, sandstone, zinc, silver, lead, and feldspar. The mining sector contributes significantly to Rajasthan's GDP and provides employment to lakhs of workers across rural districts.
As an incentive to encourage reforms, the central government has allocated a ₹900 crore incentive pool for top-performing states. This financial reward is expected to further motivate Rajasthan to consolidate its gains and push for the top rank in subsequent editions.
The SMRI is part of the broader National Mineral Policy 2019 vision to double the mineral sector's contribution to GDP. For RPSC aspirants, this is an important development linking Rajasthan's economy, governance reforms, and mineral wealth — all core topics for Paper I and Paper II.