Chhattisgarh’s Mineral Revenue Soars: Increase 30 times in 2022-23
- Mining Revenue Reaches INR 13,000 Crores in a Single Year
- 23rd Meeting of State Level Geological Program Board Concludes
- Regional Geological Program for 2023-24 Finalized
TFP Bureau, Raipur; Sep 22, 2023: The 23rd meeting of the State Level Geological Program Board, Chhattisgarh, was convened today at Indravati Bhawan under the leadership of Special Secretary of the Mineral Resources Department, Mr. Jai Prakash Maurya. The meeting witnessed the finalization of the geo-scientific regional program for the fiscal year 2023-24. During the proceedings, Special Secretary Mr. Jai Prakash Maurya disclosed that Chhattisgarh had received mining revenue of approximately INR 13,000 crores in the year 2022-23, marking a remarkable 30-fold increase compared to the state’s establishment year.
Director of Geology and Mining, Ms. Divya Umesh Mishra, reported on the accomplishments of Geology and Mining Chhattisgarh in the regional session of 2022-23. She highlighted estimations of a total of 2.45 billion tonnes of limestone and 125 million tonnes of iron ore reserves in the same fiscal year. The meeting also unveiled plans for 45 projects involving 12 different minerals in Chhattisgarh for exploration and prospecting work in the upcoming year 2023-24. These projects include exploration for iron ore, phosphorite, limestone, gold, glauconite, graphite, diamond, rare earth elements (REE), tungsten, lithium, bauxite, and basemetal.
The meeting comprehensively reviewed the geological work conducted in the state of Chhattisgarh during the fiscal year 2022-23 by various departments and institutions of the Government of India and the State Government involved in mineral exploration and exploitation. The discussions covered the achievements of the past year and finalized plans for geological work in the year 2023-24, focusing on the discovery of minerals within the state.
Furthermore, the meeting explored proposals from government and private exploration institutions from across the country for the exploration of special minerals in Chhattisgarh. The mineral resources available in Chhattisgarh significantly contribute to the state’s economic and social development, contributing over 11 percent to its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and generating approximately INR 13,000 crores in mineral revenue annually.
In addition to bulk minerals like iron ore, coal, dolomite, limestone, and bauxite, Chhattisgarh possesses precious and strategically important minerals such as glauconite, graphite, nickel, chromium, and PGE. However, the exploitation of these minerals has been limited to coal, iron ore, bauxite, and limestone until now. To expedite the exploration and development of these minerals, the state’s Mineral Department is engaging government and private exploration agencies in addition to the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL).
The meeting highlighted the involvement of Navratna companies like GSI, MECL, CMPDIL, AMD, NMDC, MOIL, and SECL in exploration work for various minerals in the state. This collective effort has led to the transparent auctioning of mineral blocks through e-auctions to significant mining companies, a move aimed at ensuring self-reliance in the availability of these minerals in the country.
Since the amendment of mineral rules in 2015, a total of 33 mineral blocks, apart from coal, have been allocated through e-auction, which is expected to generate over INR 1 lakh crore in revenue for the state in the coming years. Representatives from various Central Government and State Government departments and undertakings attended the meeting.
These developments underscore the significant strides Chhattisgarh is making in its mineral sector, promising robust economic growth and self-sufficiency in mineral resources.
