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The 25th meeting of the State Level Geological Program Mandal Chhattisgarh was held at the New Circuit House in Civil Lines, chaired by P. Dayanan, Secretary, Department of Mineral Resources, Government of Chhattisgarh, and Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Geological Program Mandal. The meeting was attended by representatives from various departments and undertakings of the Central and State governments, including Rajat Bansal, Director of Geology and Mining. The primary objectives of the meeting were to improve the utilization of mineral resources in the state, formulate plans for new mining projects, and review the achievements of the previous year.
A detailed account of the completed mining activities and their accomplishments during the fiscal year 2024-25 was presented at the meeting. The review revealed that the state received approximately ₹15,000 crore in mineral revenue during the previous financial year. This achievement represents a growth of about 34 percent compared to the year 2023-24. This increase has not only strengthened the state’s economic structure but also opened doors for new investments and opportunities in the mining sector.
P. Dayanan, Secretary to the Chief Minister, emphasized that minerals are the backbone of comprehensive development for any state and country. The discovery of strategic and critical minerals in the state signals the beginning of a new era of development. He stated that continuous and systematic exploration of the various minerals present in Chhattisgarh should be conducted to establish new mineral-based industries in the state.
All departments and institutions associated with exploration activities attending the meeting were urged to utilize their skills, resources, and the latest technologies to explore the important minerals found in the state for the overall development of Chhattisgarh. Dayanan advised the sharing of data and the establishment of coordination among agencies working for mineral development in Chhattisgarh.
Rajat Bansal, Director of Geology and Mining Chhattisgarh, provided information about the work completed in the regional session 2024-25. It was reported that in 2024-25, approximately 2500 million tonnes of limestone and approximately 93 million tonnes of iron ore reserves were estimated. The department has included important and strategic minerals in the exploration projects of the upcoming regional session 2025-26.
This project will be a decisive step towards the necessary mineral resources for the country. It will strengthen the Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission and encourage sustainable and self-reliant development in strategic areas. The Chhattisgarh government is committed to providing full support for scientific and detailed mineral exploration and development.
The Ministry of Mines, Government of India, has approved one exploration project for limestone and one for bauxite in Chhattisgarh under NMET for the year 2024-25. Two proposals were approved for notified private exploration institutions under NMET for exploration work in the state, including one for lithium, niobium, tantalum, titanium rare earth metals and one for iron ore. The department has taken important steps to strengthen exploration and mineral resource refinement by promoting collaboration with private institutions.
Information on mineral exploration activities was also presented by representatives of various departments and undertakings of the Central and State governments. Dr. Amit Dharwarker, Deputy Director General, Geological Survey of India, stated that survey work has been conducted in various districts of Chhattisgarh for bauxite, gold, glauconite, lithium, titanium rare earth metals, phosphorite, fluorite, lead, and zinc minerals. A total of 29 projects on various minerals are being undertaken in the year 2025-26.
The Directorate of Geology and Mining, Chhattisgarh, has approved a total of 11 exploration projects for survey/prospecting work in 2025-26. This includes 02 projects on strategic and critical minerals, 02 on glauconite, 01 on lepidolite, 02 on limestone, 02 on iron ore, and 02 on bauxite.
Regional Controller of IBM Raipur, Prem Prakash, Regional Mining Geologist D. Das, Deputy Director General of GSI Raipur, Amit A Dharwadkar, Regional Director of AMD Central Region, S.R. Manthanwar, along with officials from N.M.D.C., CIL, Vedanta, Ultratech, Deccan Gold, and officers from other related departments were present at the event.
