Mines & Mineral Sector Adds 3% To National GDP
Mines & Mineral Sector Adds 3% To National GDP: The mines and mineral sector contributes 3% to the national GDP and this sector in Punjab provides the resource base to a number of industries including cement, soda ash, caustic soda, ceramics, glass, fertilizer, plastic, paper, ghee, construction and steel industries.
The majority of mining activity is limited to the extraction and sale of raw minerals, with very little and no value addition to the minerals through processing and industrialization.
This was disclosed in a briefing given to Caretaker Minister for IC&T Mian Anjum Nisar here on Wednesday. Briefing the minister, Secretary Dr Arshad that apart from these industries, the majority of mining activity was limited to the extraction and sale of raw minerals with very little and no value addition to the mineral through processing and industrialization.
He said the mining industry in Punjab provides employment opportunities to nearly 40,000 workforce, including skilled, unskilled and professionals’ labor. He said that Mines and Minerals department had attached departments included Directorate Generals of Mines and Minerals, Chief Inspector of Mines, Punjab Minerals Development Company and Punjab Mineral Company.
He directed to the secretary Dr Arshad to make possible that representative of Mines and Minerals should be part of all chambers and make foolproof security arrangements for the labor persons.
Punjab, Mines & Minerals Department is leaving no stone to promote and facilitate Mines & Minerals Exploration and Exploitation in Punjab to attract Local and foreign Investment, thereby ensuring a positive thrust in the provincial GDP.
The goal includes infrastructure development in mining areas and safety, health and welfare of mine workers. A future vision of Mines & Minerals Department in outlined below:
- To increase the contribution of mineral sector to GDP through enhanced production.
- To expand the mining sector by focusing on exploration and evaluation of mineral resources.
- To enhance public sector investment on resource mapping, geo-data based development and provision of physical infrastructure, roads and electricity in the potential areas.
- To promote facilitation role of government for prospective investors.
Earlier in June Polish Ambassador Piotr A. Opalinski, said that Poland was looking forward for providing assistance and enhancing cooperation in the areas of mines and minerals as well as Defense.
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