Jaipur, May 19 : Union Minister for Mines and Coal G. Kishan Reddy on Tuesday said Rajasthan possesses vast reserves of critical minerals and has the potential to meet the growing demand from strategic sectors such as defence, energy, agriculture, solar power, and automobiles.

He said the state is rapidly emerging as a major hub for critical minerals, driven by proactive policies, scientific mining practices, and a favourable investment climate.

Reddy was speaking during a review meeting of the Department of Mines and Coal held on Tuesday at the Chief Ministerâ??s Residence in Jaipur.

The Union Minister said the countryâ??s mining sector had witnessed comprehensive reforms.

â??The Central Governmentâ??s policies, focused on improving the ease of doing business, have accelerated exploration, auctioning, and production activities in the critical minerals sector,â?? he said.

According to Reddy, Rajasthan possesses vast reserves of critical minerals and has the potential to meet growing demand from sectors such as defence, energy, agriculture, solar power, and automobiles.

He added that the state was making rapid progress in the mining sector.

â??Scientific mining practices, investor-friendly policies and transparent governance have helped create a favourable investment climate, positioning Rajasthan as a major mining hub in the country,â?? the Union Minister said.

Reddy stressed the need for close coordination between the Central and State Governments to resolve mining-related issues within a fixed timeframe and to promote investment and production.

Detailed discussions were also held on matters related to the energy sector, including the Coal India-Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited joint venture, solar energy projects, auction of critical mineral blocks, District Mineral Foundation funds, environmental and forest clearances, speedy operationalisation of mineral blocks, and ongoing geological and mineral exploration activities in the state.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma stated that Rajasthan ranks among the countryâ??s leading mineral-rich states and possesses immense potential in the mining sector.

The state is endowed with 82 mineral types, of which 57 are currently being mined.

He said the State Government was prioritising transparency, policy reforms, and infrastructure development in the mining sector.

Sharma directed officials to hold regular meetings in coordination with the Central Government to resolve mining-related issues and ensure that all mining projects are completed within the stipulated timeframe.

He said the Siwana Ring Complex, spread over nearly 725 square kilometres in Barmer and Balotra districts, is a geological structure comprising circular and semi-circular igneous rocks.

Rare Earth Elements and Heavy Rare Earth Elements have been identified in the Siwana Ring Complex and Siwana Granite formations.

According to Sharma, the region is strategically important to the modern technology and clean energy sectors.

The Chief Minister directed officials to appoint a nodal officer to ensure the effective implementation of initiatives related to the Siwana Ring Complex.

He also instructed the Mines Department and the concerned District Collectors to coordinate with Central Government officials to accelerate work on the project.

Sharma urged the Central Government to share information regarding sites identified and explored by the Geological Survey of India within the state.

He said this would help ensure that land identified for conservation purposes is not later allotted for other uses.

The Chief Minister also directed officials to expedite processes for environmental and forest clearances, emphasising that mineral blocks that have already been auctioned should commence production at the earliest.

Sharma further instructed the Mines Department to conduct regular review meetings and formulate action plans for mining activities to prevent future bottlenecks and avoid duplication of work.

During the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary for Mines and Petroleum, Aparna Arora, gave a presentation on the State Governmentâ??s policies related to the mining and petroleum sectors, along with issues concerning the Central Government.

Chief Secretary V. Srinivas and senior officials from the Central and State Governments were also present during the meeting.

/IANS