Shri Paswan said that present and future thrust areas of GSI will be searched and evaluation of minerals on regional scale by adopting modern concepts and techniques by detailed survey, sampling, deep drilling, backed by high precision laboratory analyses will be conducted. He said that concept-oriented surveys are required to locate undiscovered deep seated concealed mineral deposits by integrating ground geology, geochemical, geophysical surveys and aided by low flying airborne geophysical surveys. He informed the members that digitization of its database in a GIS format has already been initiated for completion by 2004. This will help in conversion of the database into knowledge base for the users.

    The Minister informed that some structural changes are required to make the organization more vibrant and responsive to societal needs. The Ministry is in the process of setting up a high-power expert committee to suggest these changes to redefine the role of GSI in the years ahead.

    The Minister said that on the advise of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industries, an expert panel on modernization of GSI was constituted by the Department of Mines. The expert panel has identified state-of-the-art equipment for field surveys, ground geological survey, marine survey and laboratory study. The Department has accepted these recommendations and action plans are being drawn for upgradation in technology, in field data acquisition through ground, airborne and marine surveys. The Minister informed that due to his insistence Planning Commission has agreed to provide an amount of Rs. 1100 crores during the Tenth Plan against Rs. 451.5 crore for the Ninth Plan for modernization of GSI.

    Shri Paswan said that survey of all the districts will be done for which 6 survey teams have been constituted. He urged the ministers to inform the Department in case they have knowledge/information about deposits in particular district which can be surveyed on priority.

    The Minister informed that during the last five years the State of Rajasthan was brought on the gold map of the country and many promising gold occurrences have been located in the States of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand which warrant further study. Besides discovery of platinum group of metals at baula-Nuasahi, Orissa and of kimberite pipers in Bastar, Chattisgarh and Krishna districts, Andhra Pradesh, microdiamonds from Pavagad area, Tumkur district, Karnataka, lead-zinc ore in Rajasthan, zinc and copper in Madhya Pradesh and estimation of huge resource of Dimension Stone in states of Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, warrant development initiations. The State Governments are required to be more cooperative for grant of permission for the survey work to unearth the mineral potential of their states. The Minister informed that he has also approached Ministry of Defence, Dte. Of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Home Affairs to assist in solving procedural problems.

    A presentation was given before the members on the background & importance of GSI

    In the beginning Shri Paswan expressed his deep shock and grief on the untimely demise of Shri Dayanand Sahay, sitting member of Rajya Sabha and member of Ministry’s Consultative Committee and two-minutes silence paying tribute to the departed soul was observed by all present.