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Promote and exploit mineral sector, Centre tells states

Minister of state for Steel and Mines Ramesh Bais today urged state governments to promote the mineral sector for its speedy development and healthy growth.

According to an official statement, the minister said in the changed scenario where the centralised sector was being gradually decentralised, the onus lay on state governments to promote exploration, mining, processing and utilisation of industrial minerals.

He said the states should implement a wide range of promotional initiative such as formulating various mineral projects, processing technologies, sponsoring relevant research and development schemes, providing grant-in-aid to testing facilities and incentives to employment-oriented projects.

He said though the production of non-metallic minerals increased from a total value of Rs 61.5 million in 1947 to Rs 13.58 billion in 1997-98, the production of industrial minerals still fell short of demand and the value of domestic production of industrial minerals was equivalent to only about 50 per cent of its domestic consumption.

He stressed the need for a coordinated approach for the speedy development of the domestic mineral sector by way of creating comprehensive databases at the level of state department of mining and geology, with the help of industrial organisations.

UNI