Centre Aims to Make India Self-reliant in Minerals Sector: Kishan Reddy
Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy said on Monday that the Center aims to reduce import dependency and make the country ‘atma nirbhar’ (self-reliant) in the mining sector.
Speaking at a roadshow organized by the Mines Ministry on the 7th Tranche Auction of critical mineral blocks and Tranche-2 Exploration Licence, he said the union government’s top priorities are to make the country benefit from the mineral wealth and increase employment generation.
“I want to say this on behalf of the Centre. The government does not work to generate income in the mining sector. It is taking great steps to make the country nirbhar in the mining sector,” he said.
Observing that there are many opportunities for extraction of critical minerals in future urban mining and gasification of coal, he urged the private sector to work with PSUs, state governments and others.
Union Mining Secretary Piyush Goyal said that during FY 2025-26, a record 212 mining blocks were auctioned compared to 364 blocks auctioned in the previous four years, and the total has gone up to 684 blocks since the introduction of the auction regime in 2015.
In the critical mining segment, 22 block tenders were held during the year. Thus, a total of 71 critical mineral blocks have been auctioned so far, of which 46 by the Center and 25 by the state governments.
He said that the 7th Tranche of critical and strategic mining block auctions, consisting of 19 blocks, 17 composite licenses and two mining leases, was launched on March 23.
