Ministry of Mines, in collaboration with Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Mineral exploration corporation (MECL), organized workshop in Bhopal on mineral exploration initiatives of National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) for the benefit of State Departments Mining & Geology and State Mineral Development Corporations of states of MP, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra. This is the third workshop of NMET on the subject of ‘Enhancing Exploration through NMET’, after earlier workshops organised in Jaipur (covering Gujarat and Rajasthan) and in Lucknow (covering, H.P J&K, Ladakh, Uttarakhand and UP).

Shri Sukhveer Singh, Principal Secretary, Mineral Resource Department, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh inaugurated the workshop. Dr. Ranjit Rath, DG, Geological Survey of India & CMD, Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited, and Shri Amit Saran, Director, Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India along with other officials from Ministry of Mines, Geological Survey of India, MECL, were present during the workshop. The workshop was attended by officials from Department of Mines and Geology, of states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.

The workshop provided a knowledge-sharing platform. It highlighted the role of State Directorates of Mining and Geology & Mining corporations in enhancing exploration in the country through NMET funding. The States were requested to plan exploration activities in such a way that a considerable impact would be felt in mineral sector. The States were also requested to utilize the services of Notified Exploration Agencies to explore the untapped mineral resource. Ministry of Mines will facilitate all possible cooperation to State Government.

NMET highlighted that India is endowed with rich mineral resources. However, it’s importing huge mineral resources. The mineral requirement of the country is expected to increase with the increase of share of manufacturing sector. To meet this increase and keep the import bill down, there is a need to increase exploration activities, for which there is no scarcity of funds.

Detailed presentations on NMET covering mineral exploration project formulation, approval and execution mechanism through NMET funding were made in the workshop. GSI made a presentation on potential areas for mineral exploration in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.

It was brought out that National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) has provided a huge opportunity to the State Governments to harness their mineral resources by undertaking exploration activities through Notified Exploration Agencies (NEA’s) and utilizing the NMET fund available for this purpose. State DGM’s and states PSU’s were requested to actively participate in exploration activities and submit exploration proposals for NMET funding. The workshop served as an idea sharing platform to enhance the mineral exploration which is fundamental for growth of the mining sector.

Officials from State DMGs’ and State Mineral Development Corporation of states and MOIL also spoke on the mineral exploration activities of their respective organizations. 

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