New mines and mineral policy in Rajasthan soon

Rajasthan will soon to announce an investor-friendly mines and mineral policy, a minister said on Wednesday.

"We will, in next two to four days, announce a mines and mineral policy, which will benefit mine owners as well as the workers and labourers," state Mines, Forest and Environment Rajkumar Rinwa said here at the inaugural session of seminar "Emerging Regulatory Regime for Mineral Sector in Rajasthan".

The day-long seminar was organised by the Federation of Mining Associations of Rajasthan (FMAR) and supported by the state mines department.

The minister appealed to the mine owners to take more responsibility towards the environment and social welfare like medical, insurance and education of the workers.

Earlier, as the guest of honour, Principal Secretary, Mines and Petroleum, Ashok Singhvi said that as of today 1,800 square kms area of the state is under mining which is only 0.52 percent of the total state area.

"Our efforts are to increase the mining area further to the extent of at least 1.5 percent. This will surely increase sector's share in the state GDP," he said, adding that out of 79 types of minerals available in the state, 21 are still unexplored.

FMAR's honorary secretary general Akshydeep Mathur meanwhile suggested that 2 percent of the total area of the state should be declared as a mineral-bearing zone.