Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched as many as five pilot projects to be implemented under ‘Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana’ (PMKKKY) in the country at the National Conclave on Mines & Minerals which began on Monday.
The two-day Conclave is being attended by stalwarts from mining industry and academia. The beneficiaries of the projects joined in the projects joined in the inaugural programme via video-streaming from Dantewada in insurgency-infested Bastar region. They expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this scheme.
In his address, Jaitley commended the changes in policy and legislation brought in the mining sector in past two years. These have strengthened the mining industry and paved way for employment generation, development of mining affected areas and welfare of people living in mining areas, he said. Union Minister of Mines & Steel Narendra Singh Tomar urged the mining industry to allocate 10 per cent of their profits to mineral exploration, so that true potential of India’s mineral resources can be harnessed.
All stakeholders must work together to increase the share of mining in GDP from present 2.4 per cent to 6 per cent. PMKKKY will ensure that the benefits of this growth reach the rightful owners of the mineral wealth, who are poorest of the poor living in mining areas, he said.
Chhattisgarh has taken lead in implementing the mining reforms ushered in by the Central Government and deserves compliments for the same. MMDR Amendment Act has introduced revolutionary changes which have led to end of the era of corruption, nepotism and favouritism, Tomar said. The exploration will now be of international standards using state-of-art technologies, for harmonious and balanced use of resources, he said.
Successful auction of mineral blocks, 9 per cent growth in production of major minerals and participation in large numbers in this first-of-its-kind National conclave, are all indicators of a transformed and vibrant mining sector in India, Tomar said.