Between April and November 2023, the state’s manufacturing sector grew at 7.2 per cent against the national manufacturing growth rate of 5.8 per cent, said labour minister Moloy Ghatak at the Global Mining Summit 2024, initiated by CII, today in Kolkata.

With the theme “Viksit Bharat: Role of a Sustainable Mining Industry” the summit delves into the significant growth and emerging trends within the Indian mining sector.

Besides the Global Mining Summit, CII also organised the 17th edition of International Mining and Machinery Exhibition (IMME) 2024. The two events were organised in association with the ministry of mines and the ministry of steel. The government of Odisha is the partner state and the event is supported by West Bengal Mineral Development Corporation. The Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (ICEMA) is the sector partner and Australia is the partner country at IMME 2024.

Talking about the mining sector of West Bengal, Moloy Ghatak mentioned the approval of the mining plan for the Gourangdih ABC Coal Mine in East Burdwan district with a potential of extractable coal deposit of approximately 62 million tonnes. He further highlighted that Deocha-Pachami-Dewanganj-Harinsingha, a proposed coal mine in Birbhum district, if completed, would be the world’s second largest coal mine. He said that the government of West Bengal is committed to ensuring that mining is environmentally sustainable, scientifically sound, and socially responsible.

Ujjwal Tah, director general, Directorate General of Mines Safety informed the gathering about the constant depletion of mineral resources and advocated for the conservation of minerals. He advocated for the increase in R&D investment in deep sea mining and further emphasised the need for larger mining companies to support smaller players in transitioning towards sustainable mining practices.

Talking about the potential collaboration between India and Australia in mining of critical minerals, Ms Denise Eaton, Trade and Investment Commissioner Green, Economy South Asia, Austrade solicited for a holistic approach towards green economy and urged the industry to ensure a balance between productivity, safety and environment.

About smart green mining, Shantanu Roy, chairman and managing director, BEML underscored the necessity for opting green technology by leveraging automation. He applauded the success of PM Gati Shakti and the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) and urged for the necessity of the national green mining policy. He said that the government should encourage the public-private partnership and urged for the investment in R&D in electrical mining vehicles.

Arun Misra, chairman, CII National Committee on Mining and CEO, Hindustan Zinc, stated that from an environmental standpoint, the mining sector is uniquely positioned to demonstrate how India can achieve the aspirations in minerals while nurturing and conserving our environment. He further emphasised the importance of creating an investor-friendly ecosystem to attract more investments, enabling the development of the necessary infrastructure to fully tap into the potential of critical minerals.