Mines Minister Kollu Ravindra. File photo: Special Arrangement The launch of the Jonnagiri gold mining project marked a historic moment for Andhra Pradesh as one of India’s most significant mining ventures, said Minister for Mines Kollu Ravindra on Wednesday. Speaking at the inaugural of the project at the Geomysore Services (India) Private Limited’s gold mining project site, near Tuggali, Mr. Ravindra said the mega venture had materialised due to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s vision and initiative. Mr. Ravindra observed that the coalition government was placing renewed emphasis on mining, with the objective of making Andhra Pradesh a leading contributor to the country’s mineral requirements. He alleged that the mining sector suffered devastation during the previous YSRCP government’s term, when the growth rate plummeted to 7% from the 24% during the earlier TDP term (2014-19). Criticising the YSRCP regime for allowing illegal sand extraction, weak regulation of mining operations, and policies that damaged the State’s mineral wealth, he said that the loss to the exchequer was ₹19,131 crore. “The coalition government has introduced reforms aimed …