Union Ministers Push for Expedited Lithium Exploration in J&K at NMET Meeting

New Delhi: At the Inter-Ministerial meeting of the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) held today, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the need to expedite lithium exploration in Jammu & Kashmir’s Reasi district, recognizing its potential to significantly boost India’s mining economy and overall economic growth.

During the 6th Governing Body meeting of NMET, chaired by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Dr. Singh stressed the importance of accelerating the exploration of lithium reserves in Reasi. He highlighted that the swift development of these mineral stores could lead to a quantum leap in India’s mining sector. Dr. Singh also called for prompt action to meet the exploration deadlines and mentioned the delayed Sapphire Park project in Kishtwar.

Union Secretary of Mining, V. L. Kanta Rao, assured Dr. Singh that the lithium exploration efforts would be fast-tracked, with visible results expected in the coming months.

Dr. Jitendra Singh also praised the NMET team for their record expenditure of nearly ₹300 crores during the last financial year on exploration activities across the country. He noted that NMET is playing a crucial role in catalyzing exploration through various schemes and is actively contributing to the “Critical Mineral Mission,” which focuses on domestic production, recycling, and overseas acquisition of critical mineral assets.

The Atomic Energy Minister underscored the significant role that NMET will play in the Critical Mineral Mission. He expressed his satisfaction with NMET’s efforts to promote critical mineral exploration, including initiatives to involve the private sector in the mining industry, which he believes will inspire and motivate the agencies involved.

Dr. Singh also discussed the importance of data sharing between the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD). He assured Minister Reddy that the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) would provide the necessary support, including baseline survey reports and information on non-atomic minerals that could be beneficial to the Ministry of Mines’ exploration activities under the Critical Mineral Mission.

Furthermore, Dr. Singh advocated for adopting a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with early industry linkages to foster startups in the mining sector, which would generate employment and ensure the sustainability of the industry. He also supported Minister Reddy’s view of promoting startups and MSMEs in the mining sector through the use of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).

Dr. Singh urged state government ministers to fully utilize the opportunities provided by NMET, which offers 100% support for both infrastructure development and funding for mineral exploration projects. He encouraged the submission of more mineral exploration projects to make a greater number of mineral blocks available for auction.