Kohima, Nov 1 (UNI): Union Minister for Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi has informed that the Centre is giving top priority to mineral exploration and development of the North East and announced a special advance of Rs 5 crore for exploration to each northeastern state.
According to official sources, addressing the first session of 1st North-East Geology and Mining Minister Conclave at Chumoukedima, near Dimapur on Monday, Joshi said that the North East Region has been accorded top priority for development under the Prime Minister’s agenda of transforming India.
The Government is also funding projects through National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), Joshi added.
The NE Region is the focus point of India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and the Geological Survey of India has taken up 108 projects in the Region on different mineral commodities during the last five years and altogether 23 mineral exploration projects on various commodities during 2022-23, Joshi informed.
Addressing the Conclave the Additional Secretary to the Union Ministry of Mines Sanjay Lohiya remarked stating that the Ministry is focused on increasing the pace of exploration of minerals in the country as well as on auction of mineral blocks.
The GSI has focused on completing the National Baseline Geo-science Data Generation programme in the country and has increased focus on exploration of critical minerals in the NE Region, he added.
