Public and Private Mining Industries Must Unite to Power India’s Self-Reliance in Critical Minerals: D.K. Singh
NITI Aayog’s Critical Minerals Committee Holds National Meet at Singareni Bhavan
HYDERABAD, FEBRUARY 26, 2026: The second meeting of the National Critical & Strategic Minerals Committee, constituted by NITI Aayog, was held on Thursday at Singareni Bhavan, Hyderabad, under the chairmanship of D.K. Singh. The meeting underscored the strategic importance of critical minerals in achieving India’s long-term economic growth, clean energy transition, and technological advancement.
Buddhaprakash Jyoti, Chairman and Managing Director of Singareni Collieries Company Limited and a member of the NITI Aayog Committee, welcomed the distinguished members and reaffirmed Singareni’s commitment to the National Critical Mineral Mission. He stated that the Committee, formed to identify and develop critical mineral resources within the country, would play a pivotal role in strengthening India’s resource security and reducing import dependency.
Highlighting Singareni’s proactive initiatives, He informed that the company is exploring the extraction of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) from overburden and clays present in coal seams of its opencast mines. Additionally, efforts are being made to recover valuable minerals from fly ash and bottom ash generated at the Singareni Thermal Power Plant. These initiatives reflect Singareni’s commitment to sustainable mining practices and responsible resource utilisation.
The Critical & Strategic Minerals Committee members emphasised that in the rapidly evolving global landscape, critical minerals such as lithium, rare earth elements, cobalt, and nickel are indispensable for sectors including renewable energy, electric vehicles, electronics, defence, and advanced manufacturing. Members observed that while India possesses notable reserves of certain critical minerals, limited exploration and mining activities have resulted in continued dependence on imports. With demand expected to increase substantially in the coming years, the Committee called for a coordinated national effort involving both public and private sector mining companies.
The meeting featured detailed discussions on the current demand-supply scenario of critical minerals in India, exploration opportunities across various states, technological requirements, policy support mechanisms, and the respective roles of government agencies and mining organisations. The Committee stressed the importance of accelerating exploration activities, strengthening research and development, and fostering strategic partnerships to harness the country’s untapped mineral potential.
Saravanabhavan, Deputy Advisor (Minerals), NITI Aayog and Member Secretary of the Committee, informed that time-bound action would be initiated to finalize and submit the Committee’s report. He further stated that the next meeting of the Committee will be held next month at NLC India Limited. M. Prasanna Kumar, CMD of NLC India Limited, participated virtually. Senior officials from Singareni, including Director (P&P) K. Venkateswarlu, GM (CDN & Marketing) T. Srinivas, and GM (Exploration) B. Srinivasa Rao, were also present.
Representatives from leading public and private sector organisations and research institutions such as Coal India Limited, IMMT, CSIR-CECRI (Karaikudi), Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation, Adani Group, Vedanta Limited, Hindalco Industries, Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited, Hindustan Zinc, Sun Technologies (Chennai) also attended the meeting.
The Committee concluded that collaborative action, policy support, and accelerated exploration are essential to transform India into a self-reliant nation in the critical minerals sector. Singareni reaffirmed its resolve to actively contribute to this national mission through innovation, responsible mining, and strategic partnerships.
