The report outlines a roadmap for India to reduce import dependency and achieve the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.
Self-Sufficiency Levels in Minerals and Metals:
- India is largely self-sufficient in key industrial minerals like bauxite, chromite, iron ore, kyanite, limestone and sillimanite.
- However, certain minerals, such as magnesite, manganese ore, and rock phosphate, are deficient and must be imported to meet domestic demand.
- India is 100% dependent on imports for vital minerals such as lithium, Cobalt, and Nickel.
Key challenges in achieving Self-Sufficiency
- Operational Delays: Out of 486 mineral blocks auctioned since 2015, only 63 are operational. Mining projects face long gestation periods of about 5 to 14.5 years.
- Technology Gap: India lags global standards in automation, AI and IoT use in mining, which raises costs and limits exploration intensity.
- Exploration Constraints: Only about 15% of India’s area has been covered by detailed exploration, mostly focusing on surface deposits rather than deep-seated ones.
Key Recommendations
- Urban Mining & Circular Economy: The committee recommends a focus on recovering minerals from e-waste, industrial scrap, and EV batteries.
- Inter-Ministerial Coordination: Suggests setting up an Inter-Ministerial Group to fast-track post-auction progress and statutory clearances for critical mineral projects.
- Public-Private Collaboration: Encourages leveraging the strengths of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and private sector expertise for faster exploration and processing development.
- Upskilling: Recommends that mining companies allocate a percentage of CSR funds for upskilling the workforce to handle advanced technologies like AI and automation.
Policy Framework for Self-Reliance
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