Bhubaneswar, Jan 20: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday said that his mineral-rich state of Odisha's contributions towards the economic prosperity of India is unparalleled.

He also termed Odisha as ‘Ratna Garbha’, a treasure trove of natural wealth. While speaking at the 3rd Mining Ministers’ Conference in Konark, CM Majhi said: "Every corner of Odisha is rich in valuable mineral resources. Odisha truly is 'Ratna Garbha', a treasure trove of natural wealth. The contribution of our state to India’s economic prosperity is unparalleled, and we take great pride in being a key driver in our nation’s growth."

He also mentioned the possible presence of much needed and very scarce lithium in one of the districts of Odisha during the preliminary survey of the Geological Survey of India.

The Chief Minister asserted that this is very good news for the EV battery industry.

CM Majhi also stated that Odisha is enriched and it also has coal.

He noted that the full potential of mineral rich Odisha hasn’t yet been found due to various reasons including a strong political will.

CM Majhi said all these shortcomings will change now for the betterment of people of the state.

"From just one major steel plant at Rourkela, now Odisha boasts of more than three dozen of major steel plants and is rightly called the steel capital of India, accounting for about 25 per cent of India's total steel output," he added.

The Chief Minister also stated that the state’s steel output is expected to increase substantially by 2030.

He further added that the state government is committed to transform Odisha as global industrial hub so it is investing heavily in the steel and mining sector.

He further noted that three eastern Indian states -- Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand -- produce and supply more than two thirds of all the base metals demands of the country.

"In order to fulfil the dream of becoming a developed nation by 2047 as envisioned by PM Modi, these three states will fuel the growth and Odisha will play a major part in this," added CM Majhi.

Highlighting the need for sustainable mining, the Chief Minister exhorted the delegates to find a way to move towards a consumption-led mining activities from the present export-led mining economy.

He also advised the mining industry to adopt modern technology such as drones and artificial intelligence technology to bring down the operational cost while at the same time conserving the environment.

CM Majhi also asserted that India has already achieved the target of 200 gigawatts and is poised to achieve the ambitious target of producing 500 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Now the next big thing will be green hydrogen in which Odisha is going to be a major player in the coming years. So, in a nutshell, both development and environment can co-exist and it is our responsibility to give a greener earth to our future generation," said CM Majhi. (IANS)

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