Mineral and metal sector has played a key role in the development of the country and will transform India from developing to a developed country, said Union Minister of State for Steel and Rural Development Faggan Singh Kulaste on Wednesday.

Faggan Singh Kulaste was addressing the valedictory session of a two-day international conference on ‘Indian Minerals & Metals Industry – Transition Towards 2030 & Vision 2047’ here.

In an official statement, the Union minister said the sector should be more innovative, competitive and research-friendly to enhance its capability of production of minerals and metals to meet the country’s needs as well as to export them.

Kulaste also said natural resources and their maximum possible exploration without harming the environment will be the key factors for our march towards development. Steel sector is playing a major role for the infrastructural development in every sector in the country and the Ministry of Steel has introduced various schemes to encourage the players of the sector, he added.

Sanjay Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, stressed upon the reduction of carbon emission in the steel sector to move towards green steel as directed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Singh said that the targeted capacity for steel sector for 2030 as well as 2047, which has been pegged at 300MT and 500MT respectively, would be achieved with a proper roadmap in place for it.

Joint Secretary, NITI Aayog, Kundan Kumar said that the mineral and metal sector has played a major role in the industrial as well as infrastructural development of the country and also generated employment for approximately half a million people. He urged the industry to come out with a comprehensive and detailed programme for the minerals and mines sector.

NDMC CMD Sumit Deb, who chaired the valedictory session, called upon the participants and policy makers to extend their support to the sector so that it is operationalized and functionalized accordingly for its broader and wider growth since the sector can substantially increase its contribution to the national GDP from the current level of about two per cent.