India's Plan for Skilled Workforce in Mining Sector
India aims to create a pool of 5.7 million skilled workers in the mining sector by 2030. This initiative is part of the government's strategy to boost indigenous mining of critical minerals essential for clean energy development and to decrease dependency on Chinese imports.
Key Initiatives
- The Mines Ministry and the Skill Council for Mining Sector (SCMS), under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, have launched a project steering committee.
- The committee will conduct a skills gap study from 2025-30.
- This study is part of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM).
Objectives
- To develop a detailed action plan for skills training to meet the rising demand in the mining sector.
- To double the mining sector's contribution to GDP from 2.2% to 5% by 2030 through various initiatives under NCMM.
Expected Outcomes
- Enhancement of India's capabilities in critical mineral mining.
- Reduction in reliance on imports, particularly from China.
- Creation of a future-ready workforce in the mining sector for the period 2025-35.
Implementation Strategy
- Recommendations are expected to be submitted by March 2026.
- The focus will be on skills training in high-tech areas to improve productivity and safety.
- Targets will be set, and progress will be regularly monitored at the highest level.
