Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi, Oct.26: The Third edition of CII Jharkhand Mining Conclave deliberated on the best practices in mining and discussed the latest trends and technologies that are available in the industry to enable mining excellence. This meet had a particular focus on important topics of discussion including Sustainable Development Framework – Sharing of Best Practices, Industry Expectation from the government-Mining Trade Policy and Impetus on Exploration.
Addressing the Inaugural Session of 3rd CII Jharkhand Mining Conclave, Dr Anil Kumar Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Government of India 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 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 & Vice President – Corporate Services, Tata Steel Limited said that the 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 Limited 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. He also said that sustained growth of the nation over the next decade is expected to increase the appetite for most minerals by around three times from present level. The rapid development of the metal and mining sector is essential for the Indian economy to meet this increasing demand and promote the strategic balance sheet of the country with enhanced employment opportunities contributing to the growth of the Indian economy.
Tapas Sahu, Vice Chairman, CII Jharkhand State Council & MD & CEO, Highco Engineers Pvt Ltd 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. There is a need to ensure a defined timeline and a structured framework for easier permit approval process and land access, during the exploration phase is necessary to facilitate the participation of exploration companies. He also said that by employing new technologies used by other industries, mining companies can better manage their businesses and their bottom line.
The conclave was also addressed by Asheesh Kumar, Chief Manager – Mining, CMPDI, Anurag Dixit, Chief of Operation, South Eastern Block – West Bokaro, Tata Steel Limited, Amit Dubey, Head – Mining safety, NTPC Ltd, Prof Sheo Shankar Rai, Department of Mining Engineering, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, Dr Dipayan Guha, Deputy Director General, GSI, Arun Kumar, Deputy Director, Mines Directorate, Ranchi & OSD to Secretary, Mines & Geology, Government of Jharkhand, Vivek Mishra, Head – National Coal Mining Vertical, Hindalco Industries Ltd and Niladri Bhattacharjee, Partner, KPMG.
