Addressing the inaugural session of the 3rd CII Jharkhand Mining Conclave, Dr Anil Kumar Jain, secretary, Ministry of Coal, said that the crisis of coal has shown that the domestic coal without any imports can easily fulfill the requirement of thermal power in India. He stated that this year, domestic coal based power plants have generated 24% additional power whereas imported coal based plants have gone down to -30%. He also said that the Industry faces logistical issues during monsoons, Coal India dispatches 13 to 14 lakh tonnes of coal during the rainy season and it rises to 19 to 19.5 lakh tonnes in other seasons.

He suggested that the coal producers / commercial miners should become quality and market conscious now as in the coming days the coal market seems to change from seller to buyer market. It is a good time for consumers and challenging for the producers. Chanakya Chaudhary, chairman, CII Jharkhand State Council and vice president - corporate services, Tata Steel said 3rd CII Jharkhand Mining Conclave reaffirms the potential that the mining industry alone can achieve in today’s transitional phase of India’s economy.  

The Indian mining industry has developed and modernized over time to become a major economic activity which contributes significantly to the economy of India. He also said that Machinery and equipment for the mining sector is of prime importance to the success of Indian manufacturing. At a time when India seeks to chart a course towards raising the share of manufacturing in GDP, as well as expand mining as a foundation for growth, there is a need to accord special attention to the manufacturing of mining equipment. There is a need to infuse state-of-the-art technology into the equipment so as to make it future ready and also there is a need to promote a dedicated skill set through training and skill development that will meet the needs of the mining equipment and machinery.

Addressing the gathering, Somesh Biswas, convenor, CII Jharkhand Mining Panel & chief - raw material strategy, corporate strategy & planning, Tata Steel said that if India has to reach its full growth potential, the mining sector, which is undoubtedly one of the most important growth engines of the nation, has to play a major role. Sustainable and inclusive growth of the mining sector can create significant employment opportunities and Jharkhand’s role would be extremely critical as it is one of the richest mineral zones in the world and boasts of 40 per cent and 29 per cent of India’s mineral and coal reserves respectively.

  Tapas Sahu, vice chairman, CII Jharkhand State Council said that as India moves into a modern vibrant high growth technology-driven 21st century economy, India’s mineral portfolio has to get the right balance between infrastructure and technology commodities.