PRESIDENT CALLS ON MINING INDUSTRY
TO ENHANCE ITS CONTRIBUTION TO GDP
The President of
India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inaugurated today the 19th
World Mining Congress and Expo 2003 and called upon the Indian
mining industry to increase its contribution to the GDP from the
existing 3.5% to over 10%. He said, "We should work for increasing
the productivity from 0.5 tonnes per man year to 5 tonnes per
man-year in underground coal mines using long wall mining and
from 15 tonnes per man-year to 30 tonnes per man-year in open
cast mines". Heavy industries in India should produce state of
the art equipment for open cast mines and also long wall mining
system. Application of Information Technology should lead to robotic
mining for improving the precision, safety and overall yield from
mining. More thrust should be given to safety for evolving accident
free mining, the President said.
Shri Kalam said mining
exploration at a large scale has to take place in India for locating
unique materials and minerals as vast area is yet to be explored.
Mining of the seas is unexplored and it provides lot of opportunities.
International partnership in such ventures has to be initiated,
he said.
Highlighting the
mining activities in India, the President said mining has provided
the answer to the manufacturing and energy needs of the humanity
in the past century. Coal has been a major contributor in providing
energy security during this period. It is possible that this pattern
may change and there could be exphasis on uranium and thorium
based power plants during the later part of the 21st
century in addition to the emphasis on renewable energy sources.
"It is the most appropriate time for us to have a Vision for the
Mining Industry", he said.
Regretting that the
mining sector has not attracted major investments, the President
suggested that there is a need to re-look at the total management
solution for attracting investment in new mines. The solution
has to lead to the creation of joint venture institutions with
central government, state government and private sector as partners.
The facilitation for the project through provision of land, infrastructural
development, community development etc. can be done by the government
agencies whereas the investment in the mine and the associated
technological inputs can come from the private sector. In addition,
the private sector must have the freedom to run the mines in a
cost effective manner.
Commenting on the
investment in the R&D sector, Shri Kalam said that we have
to work on clean coal technology to prevent global warming and
environmental pollution effects. For a long time we have been
talking about integrated gasification and combined cycle technology.
NTPC, BHEL and CSIR laboratories should work on this project in
a mission mode. Coal India and other producers should help in
this project by contributing in beneficiation and washing of the
coal input. We should have a time bound programme for getting
the results from this project. He appealed to the researchers
to evolve a technology for using high power laser system for safe,
pollution free and precision mining.
He said we have to
expand our knowledge to add value to the materials presently available
and preserve it for future use. Within the next few decades, we
will encounter a totally new situation of acute shortages of water,
energy and minerals. No single nation will be able to handle the
situation by itself. Humanity will require mega missions for harnessing
solar energy, drinking water from sea water through desalination
process and bringing minerals from other planets. This will involve
innovation and research in satellite based remote sensing of other
planets, robotics, mining equipment, mining operation, extracting,
beneficiation, processing and transportation. He asked the Congress,
to address the problem and prepare a detailed plan for undertaking
such challenge missions through a consortium of nations. Referring
to a large number of mine fires in Jharia Coal Field Mines in
Jharkhand, he asked the Congress to take a lead in finding a solution
to this pro! blem by focusing the attention of the best minds
in the field.
Emphasising the need
for the mines safety he suggested the Congress to create a website
–‘Web of Life- Mines Safety’. This could be a forum through which
many countries can exchange their views on the aspects of mine
accidents. The next World Mining Congress must have a special
session and theme devoted to the international experiences in
mines safety and their possible localization.
Addressing the Conference,
the Union Coal Minister, Shri Kariya Munda called upon the mining
community to upgrade the existing technology to match with the
current international practice for survival of the mining industry
in the present competitive environment. He asked them to meet
the ever-growing demand of minerals by increasing production in
a cost effective manner, but at the same time the issue of environment,
conservation and safety should not be lost sight of, he said.
India produces about 90 minerals which include fossil fuels, metallic,
non-metallic and atomic minerals as well, at a total value exceeding
13 billion US Dollar per year.
The Deputy Chairman
Planning Commission, Shri K.C. Pant stressed on conservation of
mineral resources and asked for judicious use of the available
minerals keeping in view the needs of the future generations.
He suggested the need for adoption of improved technologies to
make mining more efficient, sustainable and effective. He also
stressed on eco-friendly mining keeping in view its impact on
environment.
The Minister for
Mines Shri Rameh Bais speaking on the occasion, said the Congress
will provide a unique forum for displaying the mining potential
of member countries, their advanced technology, equipment and
research and development. This will be a special event for the
promotion of India's mining potential. India today, he said, offers
excellent business opportunities for investment and flow of state-of-the-art
technologies in mining and exploration activities.
The Minister said
India's natural resources could now be better utilised as the
sector is opened to private investment including foreign direct
investment. To facilitate more investment in the sector Mines
and Minerals Development and Regulation Act, 1957 has been amended
in 1994 and in 1999. The FDI policy has also been progressively
liberalised over the years. India is now fully liberalised economy
with the process of second generation reforms already in place.
Shri Bais said that
the Government of India, in December 1999 introduced a concept
of reconnaissance operations and as many as 157 proposals for
reconnaissance permits covering an area of 207, 669 square kilometer
have been granted to a number of multi national companies in 11
states in the country.
Shri Vijay Kapoor,
Lt. Governor of NCT, Delhi, Shri G.L. Rao, President, Indian Engineering
Association, Mr. E. Ciszak, Chairman IOC, WMC and Shri A.K. Ghose,
Chairman Organising Committee 19th World Mining Congress
also spoke on the occasion. About 1500 delegates from 48 countries
are participating in the Congress. An Exhibition Expo - 2003 is
being simultaneously organised at Pragati Maidan, where 300 exhibitors
are participating. The state-of-the-art technology in the field
of mining, equipment, machinery from the world over will be on
display at the Expo.
