Special Chief Secretary (Mines) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi has said the share of the mining sector in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was 2.70%, and called for a concerted effort to increase it further by exploring all possible opportunities. At the national-level, the share of mining in GDP was 1.50%.
Participating as the chief guest in the 53rd meeting of the State Geological Programming Board held here on Wednesday, Mr. Dwivedi said the prospecting of major mineral deposits was being done in 56 blocks in the State while agencies like the Geological Survey of India (GSI) were duly helping the government in identifying diverse mineral sources including critical minerals. Notice-inviting-tenders were issued for auctioning 44 blocks and of them, 24 blocks were allotted for production.
He said according to the Indian Bureau of Mines, there were 270 major mineral blocks in the non-working category in Andhra Pradesh. The government was trying to realise their potential, for which the GSI and other agencies were extending their cooperation.
Director of Mines and Geology and AP Mineral Development Corporation Vice-Chairman and Managing Director V.G. Venkat Reddy said the State’s 972 km - long coastline has abundant reserves of major minerals and requested the GSI to help in monetising them by using its expertise in marine geology.
He said the APMDC was duly focussing on commercial exploitation of gold and diamond deposits, manganese, iron ore, limestone, beach sand etc. and also critical minerals like copper, graphite, cobalt and nickel.
Top officials of Indian Bureau of Mines, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited of the Ministry of Mines and MOIL Limited (previously Manganese Ore India Limited) were present.
