Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that with 8.2% growth, India is currently one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the country’s coal and mining sector is a major contributor to the current economic growth. Addressing the 6th National Conclave on Mines and Minerals organized as part of the iconic AKAM Week celebrations here today, Ministry of Mines Shri Amit Shah said that the reforms implemented by the present government have led to the removal of deep-rooted corruption that existed in the allocation of coal blocks.
He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has always given top priority to ensure reforms in the mining sector so that it can further contribute to the overall economic growth of the country. These reforms have led to a remarkable improvement in domestic coal production and imports have come down considerably, the minister said. The mining sector is of prime importance for generating revenue for states and various forms of employment, the interior minister added. Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi said that the conclave is expected to provide very useful inputs / feedback for further reforms in the mining sector.
He said coal production has increased significantly from 577 million tonnes in 2014 to 817 million tonnes at present and total production is likely to exceed 920 million tonnes during this fiscal. The aim is to auction up to 500 mineral blocks by the end of 2024, Shri Joshi added. The Minister emphasized the use of drones and other latest technologies to further fulfill the mining sector.Addressing the function, Minister of State for Coal, Mines and Railways Shri RaosahebPatilDanve touched upon the achievements of the government in the last eight years. He also emphasized the importance of sustainable mining.
One of the highlights of the one-day conclave was awarding the first-ever national Rashtriya Khanij Vikas Puraskar to states with the best record in mining and providing incentives to mineral-rich states to auction mineral blocks. The Rashtriya Khanij Vikas Puraskar was given away in three different categories. The states of Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan bagged the coveted award for excellence in the mining sector. The conclave also presented the 5 Star Mines Awards 2020-21 to promote sustainable mining, National Geo Science Awards-2019 for contributions in basic/applied geosciences, mining and allied fields.59 fresh blocks were submitted to the state governments and 29 fresh coal blocks to the Coal Ministry today.
The Ministry of Mines has also launched three Mining Tenement System (MTS) modules developed by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) that would facilitate stakeholders to submit online applications for registrations, monthly, annual statutory returns and mining plan. Both public and private mining companies actively participated in the conclave which was an effective platform for various government organizations in the mining sector viz. Union Mines Ministry, state mining department, regulatory bodies like IBM and DGM, exploration bodies GSI and NMET to interact with mining and allied industry bodies. The Conclave was also attended by Secretary Ministry of Mines Shri Alok Tandon, senior officials of the Ministry, subordinate authorities and various State Governments.
