The two day District Mineral Foundation (DMF) summit concluded in New Delhi, framed as the realisation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and as a reaffirmation of the Government's commitment to the welfare of mining affected communities. Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy presided over the valedictory session and emphasised that officials associated with the DMF should work with dedication for the betterment of villages near mining areas. The event provided a platform to translate policy commitments into actionable district level outcomes.

Deliberations centred on the DMF Portal two point zero and data driven planning to enable real time monitoring and improved transparency. States shared field experiences and the discussions highlighted the need for robust baseline surveys, systematic impact assessment and saturation of priority sectors under PMKKKY for targeted interventions. Attention was also drawn to measures to expedite fund release and to strengthen governance through comprehensive audits, enhanced disclosure and meaningful community participation.

The concept of model districts and performance based ranking was emphasised as a means to drive accountability and to promote improved outcomes at district level. The summit served as a forum for sharing best practices and for strengthening centre state coordination to enable effective implementation of DMF initiatives. Officials were urged to align district level planning with the NITI Aayog model district approach to ensure structured, measurable and impactful development in mining affected regions.

In closing remarks the Secretary, Ministry of Mines, reiterated that DMF projects must be planned and implemented with a strong community centric focus and that the Centre, States and district administrations should work in close coordination to ensure transparent and efficient utilisation of funds. The Union Minister reiterated the need for full and effective utilisation of DMF funds for the welfare of mining affected populations and set a vision for developing at least one Modern Village in every district as a benchmark of progress. He urged dedicated and sustained district level efforts to secure visible improvements in quality of life and to ensure benefits of mining activities reach local people.