President Pranab Mukherjee on April 12 stressed the need to discover deeper mineral sources to meet future demand and make India self-reliant by reducing dependence on imports.

“The near-surface mineral deposits are depleting very fast. Hence, the geo-scientific community has to step up to meet the demand for future resources by finding deeper sources for the minerals we require,” the President said.

The president was speaking at the National Geoscience Awards 2016 function here.

“While addressing the resource needs of the country, we have to also keep in mind the offshore regions, which hold enormous potential for phosphorites, gas hydrates and seafloor massive sulphides,” Mukherjee said.

It is incumbent on nations the world over, he said, to move in the path of sustainable growth. In this model, growth and development depends not only on the availability of mineral resources but also on their judicious exploitation.

“Exploitation of the available natural resources for centuries has left an irreversible imprint on our environment. Mahatma Gandhi once observed and I quote 'There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed' (unquote),” the President said.

“We have to ensure that our approaches are sustainable. We have to nurture with care our Mother Earth as she has been supporting life on earth through the geologic ages,” he said.

Geo-scientists can help provide solutions for maintaining growth without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own requirements, he added.

Mines Minister Piyush Goyal said that geoscientists play an important role as future of humankind depends on the findings from geology.

“The natural resources explored by them are for the use of next generations in newer ways and that makes human life more exciting,” he said.

“Geoscientists are the stewards of the national resources and they plan the better land use and better utilisation of minerals and materials, he said. Mining industry is currently reform oriented and going through a transformative change, with more transparency and sustainability,” he added.