Priority to exploration of mineral blocks paying dividends: Union minister
Hyderabad hosts national mines ministers’ conference
HYDERABAD: Union mines minister Prahlad Joshi on Friday said that exploration of mineral blocks has been facilitated in order to aid auction of blocks to investors. The endeavour to make the sector more competitive has been so successful that production has increased by 200 per cent in seven years, he said.
He was speaking after inaugurating a two-day national mines ministers’ conference here on Friday. Mines ministers from 11 states, principal secretaries, special secretaries (mines) and top officials of union ministry of coal, mines and steel, notified private exploration agencies and others were present at the conference.
The theme of the conference was to develop strategies and increase effectiveness of the Union ministry’s new policy reforms to commemorate the AmritKal phase, he said.
Joshi called for working with true federal spirit to increase the share of mines and minerals to 2.5 per cent of the GDP by 2030, a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Atmanirbhar Bharat. He said reforms had been implemented and processes had been simplified to enhance sustainable and environment friendly mining.
He said maximum employment generation and revenue generation could be achieved in mines and minerals after agriculture sector. He said that over 60 mining rules had been decriminalised and G-3 permissions sanctioned for limestone and bauxite mining.
Later speaking to reporters, Joshi said 17 coal blocks had been surrendered by eight PSUs and they would be auctioned. He said 52 mines had been auctioned this year in five months. The government is expected to generate over 1.5 crore jobs by auctioning about 500 mines by 2030.
The minister also inaugurated a digital platform ‘The Mining Arena’. This is an interactive platform, which will provide people a first-hand experience about working for the ministry.
Wide-ranging discussions were held on the efforts made in the mining sector and the effective utilisation of national mineral exploration trust (NMET) funds by state governments.