West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has encouraged Rayati (private farmland) owners to obtain licenses for legal mining of minor minerals on their land. This initiative, part of the state's 2022 Rayati Policy, aims to curb unauthorized mining and promote legal extraction. The policy allows landowners to apply for mining licenses for minerals like sand and stone, with leases typically valid for five years or until reserves are depleted. The government has already permitted 163 private mines in five South Bengal districts.