Geological Survey To Spend Rs 750cr On Upgradation

Geological Survey of India (GSI) is planning to spend around Rs 750 crore for a major upgradation programme which includes purchase of a deep-sea vessel, two aircraft and a helicopter.

Addressing the members of the consultative committee, Union minister for steel and mines Birendra Prasad Baishya said GSI had taken up a massive upgradation of its drilling activities, laboratory facilities, survey systems and geo-physical instrumentation.

He said assistance had been sought from Japan to fund a Rs 200 crore project involving purchase of two aircraft and a helicopter. The fleet would be utilised for aero-geographical surveys. For its marine survey, GSI plans to replace R V Samudramanthan with another deep sea vessel at a cost of Rs 350 crore. The fund would be raised from external resources. The airborne mineral survey and exploration wing of GSI is planning to upgrade its airborne geophysical package at a cost of Rs 5.2 crore.

 

Apart from these upgradation programme, around Rs 207 crore will be injected for a phased expansion of GSI services.

Baishya said GSI has decided to focus on locating high-value minerals like gold, diamond, platinum. copper, zinc, dolomite and granite. A total of 170 items relating to mineral surveys would also be investigated. GSI is also planning to extend its area of work to non-conventional sources of energy like geo-thermal energy.