Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Shri Pralhad Joshi said that, the mineral and mining sectors, following agriculture and industrial sectors, provide maximum employment opportunities, and thus, for India to be recognized as a developed country by 2047, the role of these two sectors is important. While addressing MINCON 2022 – a Conference on Mines, Minerals and Metals in Nagpur today, he said that Government’s target is to produce 900 million tonnes of coal in the current year and 163 mines will be auctioned. He added that the Union Government has faith in the federal system and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is insisting that most of the powers should be conferred upon the states.
Maharashtra State Mining Corporation (MSMC) and Vidarbha Economic Development Council have jointly organized this conference at Nagpur. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari presided over this conference. Maharashtra State Forest and Environment Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, Maharashtra Government Minerals Minister Dadaji Bhuse, Principal Secretary of Commerce Department Harshdeep Kamble, President of the Maharashtra Mining Corporation Ashish Jaiswal, President of the Vidarbha Economic Development Council Devendra Parikh also attended this conference.
Shri Joshi further informed that the value of mineral wealth in India was Rs 1.9 lakh crore in 2021-22. The Government is committed to its appropriate utilization and distribution, he added. He said that the Vidarbha region’s role will remain important in developing India as a 5 trillion dollar economy. He further said that the Union government will always extend complete support for new ideas and new research, and also provide necessary incentives.