New Delhi: Stressing that the mining industry is witnessing job losses, apex mineral body FIMI has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Modi to introduce reforms to accelerate growth in the sector which has the potential to create employment opportunities.
“Like any other industry in India, mining sector is passing through a phase of lost employment scope… (with) government support and much needed reforms, the sector has the potential to provide employment to about 50 lakh people,” the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) said in a letter to the Prime Minister September 5.
The mining industry has emerged as the third largest employment generating sector, the letter said, adding growth in the sector has benefited job creation in backward states that have lower per capita income than the national average like Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
In order to achieve India’s vision of a $5 trillion economy and 8 per cent GDP growth, significantly higher contribution by mining sector in GDP would be required, it said. But as of now, the support of mining sector in GDP is decreasing, FIMI said as it requested the Prime Minister’s intervention “for much-needed fast-track reforms to accelerate growth in mining sector and create massive jobs in the country”.
