New Delhi: Ahead of framing a new mining policy for Punjab, state's Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today discussed with top officials of the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, various aspects of the policy with a view to have a foolproof mining policy in the state.

Besides, "in principle" approval was accorded to the Detailed Project Report (DPR) worth Rs 99 crore prepared by the state government for beautification of historical cities and ensuring adequate facilities for tourists and devotees, in the mission directorate meeting of the Union Tourism Ministry, a state government statement claimed.

Sidhu today held consultations with the senior officials of the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, and sought inputs on framing a comprehensive state mining policy, aimed to plug revenue leakage.

Sidhu, also the Chairman of Punjab's cabinet sub-committee on mining, said the final draft of New Mining Policy for the state would be submitted on April 21.

He along with state officials held meeting with Secretary, Ministry of Mines, Anil Mukim, Joint Secretary (Mines) N K Singh and Director (Mines), Government of India, Prithul Kumar to consult various aspects related to mining policy in threadbare here today in Delhi, said an official release.

Sidhu said the meeting was held for consulting all aspects with Centre's higher authorities in order to bring a foolproof comprehensive mining policy keeping in view the interests of common people and for generating revenue for the state.

"We got valuable suggestions during the meeting that would help in making the Punjab Mining Policy foolproof with due reference to rules and regulations.

"Besides, we also got study report of 13 Indian states that would also be helpful in making the Punjab Mining policy a subliming foundation," said Sidhu, adding the final draft of New Mining Policy for Punjab would be submitted on April 21.

Sidhu said the state government is fully geared up to release comprehensive policy on mining taking into account views of all the stakeholders and emphasis would be on "to weed out the lacunae in the previous mining policy".

The main objective of the new mining policy would be to plug the revenue loss caused to the state exchequer, he said.

Besides Sidhu, other members of the cabinet sub-committee are Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and the Rural Development & Panchayat Minister, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa.

According to a state government statement, Sidhu, who is also the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister, attended the meeting of mission directorate with union tourism ministry officials.

Disclosing this, an official spokesman said that the Union Government had approved the project for the religious and historical cities of Punjab.

The spokesman said the state government prepared the DPRs and presented them for the first time in the mission directorate meeting for approval.

These reports have been given in principle approval by the Union Ministry with partial modifications, the statement claimed.

With "in principle" nod to these projects, religious cities of Sri Anandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib and Sri Chamkaur Sahib, Hussainiwala and Khatkar Kalan (Connected with Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh), Saragarhi Memorial at Ferozepur, Jallianwala Bagh at Amritsar and Kalanaur (where Mughal Emperor Akbar was coroneted) would undergo transformation, it further claimed.  PTI