Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy stated that the central government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to increase self-sufficiency in minerals.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Mineral Exploration Hackathon and Critical Mineral Roadshow, organized by the Ministry of Mines and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in Begumpet on Saturday, Reddy emphasized the importance of this period for mining exploration.
He highlighted that, alongside public-private sector partnerships in mining innovations, the government is advancing initiatives for the welfare of mining-related communities. Strengthening the Indian economy is a key objective under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, with a focus on achieving self-sufficiency in minerals.
Reddy outlined the government’s commitment to promoting clean energy and ensuring the welfare of people in mining-affected areas with transparency. He also expressed the ambitious aim of making India the third-largest economy in the world and a developed country by 2047. The mining sector, he noted, will play a crucial role in this endeavour.
Prime Minister Modi has asserted that self-sufficiency is unattainable without a robust mining and minerals sector, which are foundational to the economy. As the country rapidly develops, the demand for minerals is increasing, making it imperative to explore mineral wealth using modern technology. The GSI has generated extensive geological data to aid this effort.
The National Mineral Exploration Trust has been established to enhance exploration, and private companies have been notified for mineral exploration. Baseline geoscientific data is available on the National Geoscience Data Repository, with plans to provide more advanced data through seismic reflection and electromagnetic field experiments.
GSI is pioneering new techniques in mineral exploration, and the launch of the hackathon aims to foster innovative mineral hunting techniques. Reddy recalled the challenges in the mining sector before 2015, including numerous court cases on block allocations and inadequate state government participation. These issues were addressed through reforms initiated under the MMDR Act in 2015, led by Prime Minister Modi, and the benefits of these reforms are now evident.
So far, more than 373 mining blocks have been auctioned. The central government has decided to auction 24 critical and strategic blocks in 2023. Reddy announced the bidders for the second and third tranches of Critical Minerals and encouraged them to commence production soon. He highlighted the importance of the roadshow for the 4th tranche bid.
The Department of Mines has selected 10 new critical and strategic mineral blocks for auction in Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Reddy also mentioned the establishment of District Mineral Foundations in 645 districts across 23 states in 2015 for the welfare of mineral-affected communities, a significant development in the mineral sector. These funds are essential for the welfare of these communities, including education, health, skill development, and livelihood support.
On this occasion, Reddy launched the National DMF Portal, reinforcing the government’s determination to achieve self-sufficiency in the mineral sector. He called for a collective effort to realize Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
The Union Minister also handed over letters to preferred bidders for Tranches II & III of the auction of Critical Minerals blocks.
