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GSI takes up 230 projects for various critical minerals in FY26

Geological Survey of India (GSI) has taken up 230 projects for various critical minerals across the country during 2025-26 (FY26), informed Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy.

“Under the aegis of National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), Geological Survey of India (GSI) has intensified the exploration of critical and strategic minerals. GSI has carried out 195 critical mineral exploration projects in 2024–25. During 2025-26, GSI has taken up 230 projects for various critical minerals across the country,” the minister said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

GSI carried out 628 mineral exploration projects on various critical and strategic minerals across the country from field season 2020-21 to 2024-25. In addition, GSI has also launched a ‘Critical Mineral Assessment Programme’ (CMAP) in 2024-25 to target the secondary enrichment zones of Critical Minerals on a nationwide scale. Till date, GSI has taken up 27 CMAPs in different parts of the country.

Further, in order boost exploration of critical minerals, National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) also provides funding support to Notified Exploration Agencies and Notified Private Exploration Agencies. So far, NMET has sanctioned 196 projects of critical and strategic minerals amounting to Rs 575 crore.

On 29 January 2025, the Government has approved setting up of the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) with an expenditure of Rs 16,300 crore for the period from FY25 to FY31, to secure a long-term, sustainable supply of critical minerals and strengthen India’s value chains across all stages- from exploration and mining to beneficiation, processing, and recovery from end-of-life products.