Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Parkash Ganga, today stressed the need for formulation of effective working plan for extraction of minerals in the state to achieve full production capacity. “The Government would explore all possibilities to harness the mineral resources of the state to boost the economy. There is a need to make mining operations profitable through enhanced production and sale,” Ganga said while speaking at 167th meeting of the Board of Directors of JK Minerals Limited here today.Commissioner Secretary, Finance, Navin K Choudhary, Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Shailendra Kumar, Director Geology and Mining Department, Farooq Ahmad Khan, MD JKML, Abid Suhail, besides other board members were present in the meeting.The Minister further stressed the need for optimum harnessing of highly rich cast gypsum mines located at Assar in Doda and at Parlanka in Ramban besides coal mines at Moghla, Kalakote and Sapphire Mines at Paddar, Kishtwar. He directed the officers to make all out efforts to ensure that all these mining operations are made profitable through enhanced production and marketing. He enjoined upon the management of J&K Minerals Limited to re-double their efforts towards making the Corporation more profitable.The Minister emphasized on proper utilization of human resource for increasing the overall production, which in turn would boost the sale of minerals.
Earlier, the Board members reviewed the progress on various projects undertaken by JK Minerals in the state. Various issues pertaining to the development of the corporation were also discussed in the meeting.The Board discussed agenda points including confirmation of minutes of 166th meeting of the Board of Directors, implementation report on the previous decisions of the Board, annual report of the Corporation for the year 2015-16, business plan of the Corporation, extraction of gypsum through outsourcing arrangement at Gypsum project Parlanka, construction /restoration of damages to the mine haul road at Gypsum project Parlanka (Ramban), status of request for formal proposal (RFP) circulated among shortlisted partiers regarding Sapphire mining project, Paddar Kishtwar, acquisition of land at Parlanka Gypsum Mining Project Ramban, Magnesite project Panthal Reasi, Status of Lime stone Quarry Khrew, enhancement of wages of casual workers deployed on supporting service at Coal Mines Kalakote and others.Managing Director JKML, while deliberating upon the agenda points, apprised the Board members about the functioning and activities of the Corporation, including financial and physical achievements.