Planned development and utilisation of innovative technologies for creating value-added products from natural resources was deliberated at a meeting of around 30 top executives of minerals-based industries in the State here on Saturday,
Speaking at the meeting, jointly organised by the State Department of Industries, the CSIR-IMMT Bhubaneswar and the Indian Institute of Mineral Engineers, Bhubaneswar Chapter, Industries Minister Debi Prasad Mishra stressed the need for a simple policy framework for exploration, development and environment sustainability keeping the National Mineral Policy in view.
Minister of Steel & Mines Prafulla Kumar Mallik said, “Incentives for value addition and waste utilisation along with promoting exploration through private industries will expand and add to the industrial base of the State.”
The experts attending the meeting said technology plays a key role in making economically viable value addition processes and products. Technology innovation-cum-incubation centres may be developed following a consortia approach with the IMMT and the IDCOl as anchor organisations for facilitation.
The concerned industries need to bear part of the expenditure towards meeting their R&D needs in a cooperative mode. Besides, appropriate human resource and skill development for this sector and its deployment may be targeted with creation of a special agency which neither the NCVTE nor SCVTE is able to fulfil now, they said.
It was informed by Prof BK Mishra that the Union Ministries of Steel and Mines are considering a proposal to set up an institute to fill the gap in human resources for development of iron and steel industry. Among other things, suggestions were made for improvement of various infrastructure-related issues including creation of special corridors for transport of minerals by pipeline, waterways or railways, integrated mine development with beneficiation, waste handling and water management and provision of cost-effective logistics in industrial clusters.
The experts said waste handling is a special problem requiring special solutions and technologies that many cannot afford. This may be taken up in a cooperative way and incentivisation of innovations may be provided. Besides, incubation support and special parks need to be developed for promoting value addition around a mother industry like steel, coal, aluminum, petrochemical refinery, etc., they felt.
They were of the view that the IDCOl and the IMMT along with other industry groups can play a major role in preparing and facilitating bankable techno-feasibility documents for promoting this sector with necessary policy support from the State Government. The SEZ policy has to be quickly put in place to promote cluster-based development of downstream industries.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Industries, Vishal Dev assured a proactive consideration of the State Government on all crosscutting issues across different departments. He stressed development of SME clusters like those of Gurgaon or Noida centred around some of the major industrial units in Odisha.