GSI hands over 15 state govts with 52 mining block reports

Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Coal, Mines, and Parliamentary Affairs said that the Ministry of Mines is open to considering further policy reforms to boost the country's mining sector.

Minister Joshi, speaking at the fifth National Conclave on Mines and Minerals here today, said that the centre should consider providing more incentives to state governments so that the mining process can be boosted across the country.

Joshi urged the state governments to improve existing mineral infrastructure to achieve this goal. During the first seven months of this fiscal year, the Odisha government-generated Rs 10,000 crore through proactive mine auctions, according to the minister. Joshi informed that the focus should be on reducing mineral imports to the bare minimum.

Joshi presented awards to 5-star rated mines for sustainable mining practises and overall performance during the day-long conclave. For the past three years, 149 awards have been given out to various public and private sector organisations from across the country. One of the major highlights of the National Conclave was the handover of 52 Geological Survey of India (GSI) approved mine blocks to 15 state governments. The minister also launched an E-portal for mineral exploration accreditation.

Earlier in the conclave, panel discussions on recent amendments to the Mineral Act and rules, as well as presentations by state government mining department officials, were held. A technical session on advanced exploration technology and GSI's ongoing strategy for identifying more mineral blocks were presented by GSI.

The brainstorming sessions were attended by Shri Alok Tandon, Secretary Ministry of Mines, senior Ministry officials, GSI, NMET, various PSUs, and representatives from state governments and the industrial sector.

In 2016, Raipur hosted the first-ever National conclave on mines and minerals. Similar conclaves have been held annually in Delhi and Indore since then. With the introduction of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015, the auction system for granting mineral concessions gained a lot of transparency and removed a lot of discretion.

This has not only resulted in a significant increase in revenue for state governments, but it has also ushered in a new era of 'ease of doing business in the mining industry.

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