Kolkata, January 23, 2024

 

The 63^rd Central Geological Programming Board (CGPB) meeting was held on Monday, January 22, 2024 at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh,  under the Chairmanship of Shri V.L. Kantha Rao, Secretary to the Union Ministry of Mines (MoM). Shri Sanjay Lohiya, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Mines, and Shri Janardan Prasad, Director General, GSI were the dignitaries gracing the occasion. Senior functionaries of different Ministries, State Directorates of Mining & Geology, PSUs, representatives from private mining industry, mining associations and other stakeholders attended the meeting.

The proposed Annual Programme for ensuing Field Season year 2024-25 was placed before the Board for discussion. During the ensuing year 2024-25 GSI has formulated about 1055 scientific programs for the year 2024-25, which includes 392 Mineral Development projects (G2;G3;G4; and Offshore Explorations) that has the potential to generate auctionable mineral blocks in near future. 133 projects with mineral bias or Mineral Discovery Projects (RMT; Research Project; C-MAP;GT; MPA; Multispectral/Hyperspectral projects) having potential for generating promising areas for future exploration in the G4 stage. Within the exploration activity, the major thrust has been given on the exploration of strategic & critical and fertilizer minerals. A total of 188 projects on these strategically important mineral commodities like REE, RM, Graphite, Lithium, Vanadium and PGE etc. have been approved for the year 2024-25,which is almost a jump of 50% from previous year’s target.

During his address to the gathering Shri Rao, Secretary, Mines and Chairman CGPB mentioned the importance of scientific rigour in the mining sector. He urged GSI and other exploration agencies to increase the pace of exploration and emphasized on exploration of Critical Minerals. He also urged the State Governments to be more aggressive in implementation of exploration projects through NMET funding. He requested stakeholders to make use of geo-science data available in the NGDR portal for a smooth exploration process.

Shri Rao, in presence of  senior officials also inaugurated an Exhibition on the theme, “Mining and Beyond”, in which GSI, PSUs, DMFs, major mining companies, private exploration agencies, start-ups, Madhya Pradesh Government showcased their achievements. PSUs like Manganese Ore India Ltd. (MOIL), Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), National Aluminum Company Ltd. (NALCO), Mineral Exploration Consultancy Ltd. (MECL) showcased their best practices and technical advancements in this exhibition. While companies like HCL , NALCO and  HZL  gave the visitors a feel of mining and mineral processing through their VR system, Hindalco through VR showcased their project of sustainable mining. BALCO and Tata Steel also participated in the exhibition. The students of engineering colleges of Bhopal also visited the exhibition and got first hand exposure of the mining sector.

Total 111 projects under Natural Hazard Studies/Public Good Geo-science were taken having societal benefits. Among these, 25 programmes have been  taken up on State request/Disaster Management Authorities which includes programme mostly covering the natural hazards and 43 programmes are in collaboration with universities / agencies / under sponsorship of different authorities like IITs, NGRI, DRDO, NRSC-ISRO, University of Hyderabad, ASI, CGWB Ministry of Jal Shakti, SJVNL, NWDA, Indian Railways, BRO and State Irrigation Departments etc.

Besides approval of the FSP items of GSI, the Report on Geological & Geotechnical investigation of Joshimath Township, Chamoli District was also unveiled by Shri V.L. Kantha Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Mines for handing it over to Uttarakhand Govt.  The Mineral Map of the newly carved out UT of Ladakh was also released on this occasion along with other significant publications of GSI.

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