THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
PANAJI, NOVEMBER 6, 2026
Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy has called for
expediting mineral exploration and strengthening Centre–State coordination to
accelerate the development of the country's mining sector amid rising demand
for critical minerals.
Addressing the concluding session of the two-day 4th Conference of Mining
Ministers in Goa, Reddy emphasised the need for closer collaboration between
the Centre and States to unlock the country's mineral potential and strengthen
domestic mineral security.
He also underscored the importance of enhancing States' revenue through
mining activities, improving mine planning and ensuring effective mine closure
practices.
The second day of the conference witnessed detailed deliberations on key
priorities and challenges facing the mining sector, with participation from
representatives of Telangana, West Bengal, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,
Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. State representatives shared their experiences,
flagged sector-specific concerns and discussed opportunities to accelerate
mining activities.
Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey stressed the
need for collective efforts by States to speed up mining initiatives and
strengthen India's journey towards mineral self-reliance.
Secretary in the Ministry of Mines Keshav Chandra said the ministry had
taken note of the issues and suggestions raised by participating States. He
assured that steps would be taken to address their concerns, particularly
delays and procedural bottlenecks, through improved coordination and timely
resolution of pending issues.
The conference concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthen Centre–State cooperation, resolve implementation challenges and accelerate the growth of the mining sector in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
The deliberations are expected to provide further impetus to coordinated efforts towards harnessing India's mineral resources, improving the efficiency of mining operations and meeting the country's growing requirements for critical minerals.
