Centre working on enhancing mines sector output in GDP to 2.5% by 2030: Minister

Hyderabad: The Centre has taken various measures with regard to Ease of Doing Business to increase the contribution of mines and minerals sector towards the country's GDP to 2.5 percent by 2030, Union Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Friday. He addressed a two-day national conclave where mining ministers deliberated on the ambitious target.

"The intention of this conclave is that we should in coming years up to 2030, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, other than coal and petroleum, add 2.5 percent to the GDP of the country. Now, other than these two — coal and petroleum — it is 0.9 percent," he told reporters after the inaugural session.

The Prime Minister has given the target of 2.5 percent to be achieved by 2030, he said.

"…we want to achieve it before 2030. For that, we have taken a lot of measures as far as Ease of Doing Business is concerned and ease of investment is concerned," the Union Minister said.

Observing that the states are the ones that would implement on the ground whatever policies and laws are made at the Centre, he said the conclave has been organised in line with the central government's philosophy of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwaas'.

'Mines & mineral sector can provide employment on large scale'

It is the first such conference where ministers and officials from states are participating and the states would make individual presentations, Joshi said.

"The Prime Minister has said the country should become developed by 2047 and Modi's clarion call is that the situation of importing goods despite the availability of raw materials and minerals in the country should go away," he said.

After agriculture, mines and minerals sector can provide employment and also generate revenue on a large scale, he said.

"For Atmanirbhar Bharat, Atmanirbhar minerals are needed," Joshi said, adding that this conclave has been organised for that purpose.

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