Northeast can be national model for sustainable mining: G Kishan Reddy

Business Standard

3 days ago

With its rich biodiversity and deep-rooted community traditions, the Northeast region has the potential to set a 'national benchmark for sustainable and inclusive mining,' Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy has said.
Speaking at the 2nd North East Geology and Mining Ministers' Conclave held in Guwahati on Friday, Reddy said lawful and sustainable mining practices are vital to protect the sensitive ecology of the Northeast region. 'The Central government will provide complete support and technological expertise to enhance real-time monitoring and enforcement at the ground level,' he added.
The two-day conclave, organised by the Ministries of Coal and Mines and the Assam government, is aimed at stepping up mineral and coal exploration in the Northeast states, with an eye on boosting industrial growth, energy security and regional development.
The Union minister released several documents, including Geological Potential on North East and Mining in India's North East, Book on Coal Resources and Exploration in North East Region, and a brochure on commercial coal mining in the North Eastern Region (NER). 'These publications showcase the potential of mineral resources in the NER and the roadmap for their strategic exploration and sustainable development,' said Reddy.
Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma released eight thematic District Resource Maps pertaining to the NER, prepared by the Geological Survey of India, which provide insights on mineral deposits and further exploration activities in the region.
The conclave comes at a time when mineral auctions are gaining pace across India. In FY25, 283 mineral blocks were put up for auction, with 161 awarded so far. The cumulative total now stands at 515 auctioned blocks, including five from Assam and four from Arunachal Pradesh, said the Ministry of Mines in a statement on Thursday.
Reddy emphasised the role of the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) and offshore mining in critical mineral exploration. These reforms are already bringing 'great results' across the mining regions of India, including the Northeast, he said.
'With over 1.78 billion tonnes of coal spread across the 20 coalfields, along with lignite, limestone, natural gas and base metal reserves, the Northeast holds huge strategic economic importance in this region,' he added.
The minister emphasised employment and revenue generation opportunities that the mineral blocks would create. 'For the first time, four critical mineral blocks in Arunachal Pradesh and five major mineral blocks in Assam have been auctioned successfully,' he said. Their operationalisation is expected to generate substantial employment opportunities and revenue for the state governments in the region, he added.
He announced the Mines Ministry will sanction a token amount of Rs 10 crore to each Northeastern state to encourage employment.
The Coal Minister highlighted the government's infrastructure push with the Highways, Internet, Railways and Airport (HIRA) model of development in the Northeast, saying the region is fast emerging as a centre of economic growth and a vital link to Southeast Asian markets.
The government has built 11,000 kilometres of highways, hundreds of mobile towers, extensive new railway lines, doubled the number of airports, developed waterways on the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers, and established a 1,600-kilometre-long Northeast gas grid to ensure reliable energy supply for industries, he said.
'With these reforms, the region is emerging as a centre of growth, and fundamental to India's Act East policy,' he added.
Reddy also noted that India's trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) currently stands at approximately $125 billion and is projected to exceed $200 billion in the coming years.
'This positions the Northeast as a strategic trade bridge and a gateway to ASEAN markets,' he said.