Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu stated that Telangana’s proactive efforts and high priority for the critical minerals sector have placed the state ahead of all others in the country, earning nationwide recognition.

As evidence of this, NITI Aayog has given a prominent position to Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), a Telangana government enterprise, in the national-level Critical Minerals Committee constituted recently.

The Deputy CM recalled that the Telangana government has been treating the exploration of critical minerals essential for national needs as a priority area and encouraging government enterprises to take the lead.

Discussions are already underway with countries such as Australia, Russia and Ghana on expanding business opportunities. Agencies have been engaged to study the scope and potential in the critical minerals sector. He added that SCCL recently participated in the critical minerals exploration auction conducted by the Centre and secured licenses for the exploration of gold and copper.

He further stated that Singareni has entered into agreements with national-level organisations such as NFTDC, IMMT and JNARDDC to jointly work on identifying and commercially utilising critical minerals and rare earth elements found in the hills of the Singareni region, in the soil from open-cast mines, and in the fly ash and bottom ash generated from the Singareni Thermal Power Plant.

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu expressed delight at the Rajasthan Cabinet’s approval for the 2,300 MW thermal and solar power project jointly undertaken by SCCL and Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RVUNL) upon the initiative of the Telangana government.