India’s mining sector to witness reforms, flurry of activities in 2021

The country’s mining sector will see “hectic activities” in the new year with the central government’s approvals for pending mining reforms expected in January itself and efforts continuing to bolster overall mineral output.

The reforms will pave the way for auctioning of at least 500 mineral blocks, Mines Secretary Anil Kumar Jain told PTI and emphasised that the calendar year 2021 will be a “bridge year between the past and the future”.

On account of market forces, there is a fluctuation in steel prices but the Covid-19 pandemic did not impact the country’s mineral production this year, he noted.

While many sectors had to bear the brunt of the pandemic-induced lockdown, Jain said India has “registered in iron ore some of the best export numbers in the last seven-eight months as compared to previous years”.