PANAJI
Union Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy has urged the Goa government to proactively approach the Supreme Court seeking an enhancement of the State's annual iron ore production ceiling, currently capped at 20 million tonnes, as the Centre looks to expand mineral production to meet rising demand.
Speaking after a review of Goa's mining sector, Reddy said the issue of increasing the production ceiling had been discussed with the State government, drawing a parallel with Karnataka, where the State government had sought an increase in its mining production limit.
He said Goa should similarly take up the matter before the Supreme Court, pointing out that expanding iron ore production was important in view of the country's growing steel requirements.
“The production ceiling is imposed by the Supreme Court in Goa as well as in Karnataka. Similar to Goa even the Karnataka government is requesting for an increase. I have discussed with the Goa Government that they should proactively plead to raise the ceiling,” he said.
Reddy said India currently produces around 168 million tonnes of steel annually, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set targets of increasing production to 300 million tonnes by 2030 and 500 million tonnes by 2047. Higher iron ore production would help support these targets, reduce production costs and make steel more affordable.
“The Supreme Court is also recognizing these practical realities, because minerals are vital not just for Goa, but globally,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed that exploration is underway in another 11 lease areas, opening up the possibility of further auction of the mineral blocks. These leases are located six in Sanguem, three in Quepem and two in Dharbandora.
Reddy also highlighted Goa's end-to-end digital monitoring system covering the mining chain, from exploration and extraction to transportation, quality testing and safety. He said the Centre was keen to replicate Goa's digital mining technology and software in other mineral-producing states.
“I personally observed how the Goa Government utilizes cutting-edge digital technology across the entire mining chain- from exploration, extraction, and transportation to quality testing and health, safety, and security. This technological oversight eliminates discrepancies and ensures high transparency. We want to replicate Goa’s digital mining technologies and software across other mineral-producing states in India through the Central Government,” he announced.
