Inspired by Naini, Focus Shifts to Devadurg: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka
HYDERABAD, AUGUST 26, 2026: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has directed Singareni officials to expedite exploration activities in the Devadurg gold and copper mineral block in Karnataka. On Wednesday, the Deputy Chief Minister held a high-level review meeting with senior Singareni officials at Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Praja Bhavan on the company’s new projects and future expansion plans.
The meeting focused particularly on the Devadurg gold and copper exploration block secured by Singareni in Karnataka. Singareni CMD Dr. Buddhi Prakash Jyoti, Directors Suryanarayana, Venkateshwarlu and Tirumala Rao, and other senior officials participated in the meeting. The Deputy Chief Minister said he would visit the Devadurg block on Thursday along with senior Singareni officials to personally assess the ground realities and the progress of exploration activities.
He said Singareni would seek the full cooperation of the Karnataka government in securing the necessary permissions, infrastructure and other support required for mineral exploration. He stated that successfully taking forward the Devadurg project would lay a strong foundation for Singareni’s expansion from coal into the critical and strategic minerals sector.
Bhatti Vikramarka emphasised that Singareni, with its long-standing experience in the mining sector, should no longer remain confined to coal mining and must expand into the exploration and mining of critical and strategic minerals. He assured that the Telangana government would extend all possible support in this endeavour.
He said the objective of the Praja Prabhutva was to transform Singareni, a public sector enterprise that is the backbone of Telangana, into a more profitable and stronger organization that can be handed over as a robust institution to future generations.
Special Focus on Devadurg
The Deputy Chief Minister sought details from officials about the work undertaken so far in the Devadurg gold and copper mineral block, its geological conditions and the next steps required for assessing mineral deposits. He directed officials to prepare a comprehensive action plan to accelerate the exploration process.
To personally understand the conditions and challenges at the ground level, he will visit the Devadurg block on Thursday along with a team of senior Singareni officials. He said discussions would also be held with the Karnataka government regarding the support required to speed up mineral exploration.
Bhatti Vikramarka directed officials to transform the Devadurg block into a key opportunity for Singareni’s expansion into the critical minerals sector.
Participate in All Mineral Auctions
Bhatti Vikramarka instructed Singareni to expand its operations not only within the country but also at the international level. He directed officials to continuously monitor coal and critical mineral auctions being conducted at the national and international levels and make use of every opportunity beneficial to Singareni.
He said Singareni should no longer restrict itself to coal mining but should establish a strong presence in the mining of other minerals as well. With mineral blocks containing critical resources such as vanadium and titanium likely to be put up for auction soon, he directed officials to prepare a comprehensive strategy well in advance to secure such blocks. He reiterated that the Praja Prabhutva would provide all necessary support for these efforts.
In view of the rapid changes taking place globally in the energy and industrial sectors, the Deputy Chief Minister called upon Singareni to explore mining opportunities for critical minerals such as copper, graphite, lithium and cobalt. He said the company should identify new opportunities keeping in mind the growing importance of these minerals in the future.
He said international consultants had been appointed to study mineral opportunities in countries including South Africa, Brazil, Australia and Chile. He directed officials to examine opportunities emerging internationally and move forward on projects that would be beneficial to Singareni.
Coal Production to Match Demand
While expanding into the critical minerals sector, the Deputy Chief Minister stressed that special attention should continue to be given to coal production, which remains Singareni’s core business.
With electricity demand increasing due to the impact of El Niño, he directed officials to take steps to increase coal production in line with demand. He said the prevailing drought-like conditions in the state had further increased the importance of electricity and energy security, and that Singareni should play a crucial role in this regard.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka directed officials to move ahead with a robust action plan to transform Singareni into one of the country’s leading organisations in the critical minerals sector while continuing to leverage its expertise in coal production.
