The central government has approved the National Critical Mineral Mission with an expenditure of Rs 163 billion to focus on mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing and recovery from end-of-life products. PSUs and private companies are expected to invest Rs 180 billion in the initiative. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has conducted 368 exploration projects for critical minerals over the past three years, with 195 projects under way in 2024-25. For 2025-26, GSI plans to undertake 227 projects. The Ministry of Mines has auctioned 24 strategic mineral blocks following amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. The mission will also expedite regulatory approvals, provide financial incentives for exploration and establish mineral processing parks.
Connecting Corners: Policy reforms propel the satellite communications sector forward
The Indian satellite communications (satcom) market is experiencing rapid growth due to heavy investment in new satellite systems. The demand for satellite-based services, such as broadband internet and satellite television, is being propelled by the […]
Modest Growth: Traffic performance at major ports during 2016-17
Major ports handled 647.63 million tonnes (mt) of cargo traffic in 2016-17, a year-on-year growth of 6.79 per cent. The growth was supported by an increase in all cargo categories except fertilisers and coal. Iron […]