Chhattisgarh’s Mineral Diversity is the Foundation of Nation’s Economic Prosperity – Mineral Secretary Dayanand

Raipur, 25 June

Under the guidance of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, a one-day state-level workshop was organized at the Convention Hall of New Circuit House in Raipur to discuss the systematic exploration and exploitation of strategically and critically important minerals available in Chhattisgarh.

In the inaugural session of the workshop, Chief Minister’s Secretary and Secretary of the Mineral Resources Department, Mr. P. Dayanand, stated that Chhattisgarh is a mineral-rich state endowed with 28 types of major minerals such as coal, limestone, dolomite, iron ore, bauxite, and tin ore. In addition, minerals of strategic and nuclear importance—like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements—are abundantly available. He explained that the workshop was organized to accelerate efforts under the National Programme on Exploration Strategy and the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET). Its goal is to ensure the active participation of national exploration agencies and to take concrete steps towards the swift implementation of strategic mineral projects in the state.

The workshop was jointly organized by the Mineral Resources Department and the Directorate of Geology and Mining, Chhattisgarh. The main objectives included promoting scientific exploration techniques for the effective utilization of India’s critical minerals capacity, technically strengthening the proposal submission process, and ensuring the state’s active contribution to national-level strategic exploration policies.

In the technical sessions, Mr. Ravikant Gupta from the Geological Survey of India gave a detailed presentation on the geological features of Chhattisgarh and the potential of OGP (Obvious Geological Potential) areas.
Mr. Bhuvneshwar Kumar from Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited delivered a presentation on modern geophysical and geochemical techniques for the exploration of minerals such as lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, tungsten, and phosphate, providing officials with insights into the latest methodologies.
Mr. Akshay Verma from NMET discussed the proposal preparation process, financial assistance, and grant policies, highlighting the opportunities available under NMET and emphasizing the need for Chhattisgarh’s more active involvement.

Emphasis on Chhattisgarh’s Role in the Global Mineral Supply Chain

Experts at the workshop emphasized that Chhattisgarh’s mineral diversity and quality position it as a critical link in the global mineral supply chain. They suggested that by balancing mineral production, market demand, and future prospects, the state could take the lead in mineral-based industrial development.

In the concluding session, a review was conducted of mineral surveys completed in the state, their findings, and proposed projects. Officials emphasized the need to further strengthen technical capacity and inter-departmental coordination. Senior officers from the Directorate of Geology and Mining remarked that mineral resources form the bedrock of any state’s economic growth. The workshop made it clear that through transparent, technologically competent, and time-bound procedures, Chhattisgarh can not only attract private and public investments but also play a leading role in the National Strategic Mineral Policy. All participants stressed the importance of joint efforts and a long-term strategic vision for sustainable mineral-based industrial development.

On this occasion, attendees included Prof. Sahendra Singh from IIT Dhanbad, Mr. Prem Prakash from IBM, Director Mr. Rajat Bansal, Joint Directors Mr. Anurag Diwan and Mr. Sanjay Kanakane, as well as representatives from various central and state agencies, research institutions, policy advisors, and technical experts.