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Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy on Monday directed all mining and exploration agencies under the Ministry to accelerate pending projects and adopt a mission-mode approach aimed at strengthening India's mineral security and advancing its long-term strategic growth goals.
Chairing a series of high-level review meetings in Bengaluru with senior officials from the Geological Survey of India, Indian Bureau of Mines, National Institute of Rock Mechanics and the Remote Sensing & Aerial Survey (RSAS) division, the Minister reviewed ongoing exploration work, technological upgrades and project execution timelines across critical mineral sectors. The meetings focused on accelerating exploration of strategic minerals such as Rare Earth Elements (REE), lithium, nickel, cobalt, tungsten, vanadium and platinum group elements, which are considered crucial for India's clean energy transition, electronics manufacturing and defence supply chains. Emphasising urgency and accountability, Reddy said all agencies must shift to outcome-driven functioning. "All organisations must fast-track pending projects and ensure that technology, transparency and efficiency become the foundation of every institutional process. The people of India and the Government of India expect speed, accountability and visible outcomes from every agency working in this sector," he said. Highlighting the broader national objective, he added: "Under the leadership and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, India is moving decisively towards becoming a self-reliant and globally competitive economy. The mining and exploration sector has a critical role in securing India's future growth, industrial expansion and strategic mineral security." The Minister also underlined the need for coordinated execution with fixed timelines and measurable outcomes, stressing that exploration agencies must work in mission mode to reduce delays and improve efficiency in mineral discovery and development. The Geological Survey of India presented updates on significant findings in Karnataka and Goa, including potential reserves of gold, copper, nickel and cobalt, along with its five-year roadmap covering large-scale mapping and AI-enabled exploration over nearly 48,000 sq. km. The National Institute of Rock Mechanics showcased its role in supporting infrastructure and mining safety projects, including tunnelling, metro rail, hydropower and seismic monitoring systems, while the Indian Bureau of Mines highlighted initiatives in sustainable mining, scientific mine closure and critical mineral recovery under national missions. The RSAS division also reported progress under the National Aerogeophysical Mapping Programme, covering over 6.5 lakh sq. km using hyperspectral and airborne geophysical surveys, enabling more than 200 exploration projects. (ANI)
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