Lithium reserve found in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi

14 Feb 2023 CW Team

A top government official said that the country's first lithium reserve, discovered in Jammu and Kashmir, is of the highest quality, as jubilant villagers expressed hope for a bright future. The Geological Survey of India detected a 5.9-million-tonne resource of lithium, a critical mineral for the production of electric vehicles and solar panels, in the Reasi area (GSI).

"Lithium is a key material that was previously unavailable in India, leaving us entirely reliant on imports. The GSI's G3 (advanced) analysis reveals the occurrence of high-quality lithium in abundance in the slopes of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Salal village (Reasi) "J-K Mining Secretary Amit Sharma stated.

He stated that, in comparison to the normal grade of 220 parts per million (PPM), the lithium found in J&K is of 500 ppm-plus grading, and that India will exceed China in availability with a stockpile of 5.9 million tonnes. "With this discovery, India has joined a small group of countries at the world level, and it will fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliance India)," he said.

According to Sharma, lithium is widely used, and its discovery during India's G20 leadership presents a chance for J-K to demonstrate its significant deposits. When asked when the extraction might begin, he noted that each project takes its own time. "We had G3 level study and it will now be followed by G2 and G1 study before the final extraction of the metal." "Everything will be done at the earliest and we will collaborate with the GSI and extend our full support in this historical feat," he said.

Also Read
Sisodia: Delhi to raise power generation capacity by 6,000MW
Centre: Use of plastic waste mandatory in road construction

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Second Mountain Tunnel Breakthrough in Palghar Advances High Speed Rail

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail (MAHSR) project reached a milestone with the breakthrough of a mountain tunnel in Palghar, Maharashtra. Mountain tunnel MT-six measures 454 metres long and 14.4 metres wide and will accommodate up and down tracks. The breakthrough follows MT-five near Saphale on second January 2026 and the MT-six excavation was completed from both ends using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. The ministry reported that the tunnelling was completed within 12 months. The New Austrian Tunnelling Method is favoured for its flexibility in complex geology and irregular tunnel s..

Modi Government Pushes Atmanirbhar Container Drive With BCSL MoU

The Union Government advanced a plan to create an integrated, domestically anchored container ecosystem with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL). The MoU was signed by key agencies including the Shipping Corporation of India and Container Corporation of India alongside major port authorities and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in the presence of senior ministers. The initiative aligns with the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme announced in the Union Budget 2026–2..

Ministry Reports Gains In Mobility For Marginalised Communities

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing skill development, education and rehabilitation schemes to promote socio-economic mobility and sustainable livelihoods for marginalised and disadvantaged communities across the country. Programmes target Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Economically Weaker Sections, De-notified Tribes and Safai Karamcharis through specialised implementing corporations and empanelled training institutes. Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana, or PM-DAKSH, provided skill training and placement support through the Nati..