“Mining industry to grow at 5% by 2020”

“Mining industry to grow at 5% by 2020”
“Mining industry, which is one of the largest employers of the country provides employment to about a million people and is pitched to grow by 5% by 2020,” said West Bengal Commerce & Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee while speaking at the Global Mining Summit in Kolkata.
The two day international conference ‘Global Mining Summit’ kick-started today alongside the 4-day ‘International Mining & Machinery Exhibition’ with a specific focus on exploration, technology, policy frameworks and emerging business opportunities in the Indian mining and coal sectors.
Mr. Chatterjee elaborated on the role of West Bengal Mineral Development Corporation Limited and stated, “Six new coal blocks have been identified from which commercial production of certain percentage has already been started. The State Government has given a suggestion to the central government to formulate a national policy on iron ore on the lines of the national coal policy.”
“The State Government for its part has formulated a mining policy to give impetus to the mining sector”, he adds. The minister projected West Bengal as one of the viable investment destination as it accounts for 73% of total coal and lignite employment together with Jharkhand Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. “West Bengal Government’, said Mr. Chatterjee, ‘is open to international ideas. We have sophisticated institutions, political stability and social mobility. We have land for setting up units, and ease of starting businesses.”

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