The Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Coal and Mines had convened at the Parliament House Annexe on September 19th to assess the performance of the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET).

During the session, it was reported in a Ministry of Coal press release that Union Minister of Coal Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi had stressed the government's commitment to enhancing mineral exploration with the aim of achieving self-reliance in mineral production. He mentioned that Joshi had highlighted the significance of India's recently published list of 30 Critical Minerals emphasising the ongoing efforts to expedite the auction process for these critical minerals within the country.

The primary focus of the meeting was the Performance of NMET concerning its role and responsibility in promoting exploration in the country. The Ministry of Mines, led by VL Kantha Rao, Secretary provided the committee members with an overview of NMET’s performance.

It was pointed out that 25 per cent of the project cost had been allocated as an incentive for deep-seated and Critical Mineral exploration.