Kohima, April 9 (UNI): Nagaland is richly endowed with a variety of minerals. Coal, limestone, nickel, cobalt, chromium, magnetite, copper, zinc and recently discovered platinum, petroleum and natural gas are the major minerals available in Nagaland. According to the Annual Administrative Report 2014-15 of the Nagaland State Mineral Development Corporation Ltd (NSMDC) tabled in the State Assembly Session recently, the main established mineral reserves comprise Petroleum and Natural Gas (prognosticated reserve of 600 million tonnes) in the northwest along Nagaland-Assam border; Coal (with inferred reserve of 150 million tonnes) in Tuensang, Mon and Mokokchung districts; Limestone & marble (with inferred reserve of 1000 million tonnes); Magnetite with Nickel, Cobalt and Chromium (5 million tonnes of proved reserved); Rich deposits of varieties of decorative and dimensional stones and other associated metals like Zinc, Molybdenum and other possible precious metals such as gold, and platinum groups of elements (with ophiolites and meta sediments) in Phek, Kiphire and Tuensang districts of south east Nagaland.
The report stated the government desires to exploit the rich minerals to enhance the economic status of the state with a view to uplifting the living conditions of the rural people where rich minerals deposits are available. With this objective, the report stated that the NSMDC, fully owned by the state government was set up by the Government of Nagaland and incorporated in May 1981 under Companies Act 1956 with the main objectives of initiating commercial exploitation of limestone, coal and other mineral deposits and promoting, establishing and developing economic activities in mines and mineral based industries. "The successive plans have been formulated with the basic aim to promote and facilitate mineral-based industries in the state for economic growth as well as for generation of employment opportunities," the report stated. The investments will also be justified by cost benefit analysis, the report stated.
According to the report, the planning strategies are focused to achieve the following objectives: Development of infrastructure such as construction and upgradation of mineral link roads and improvement of power in collaboration with relevant departments, initiation of mineral-based industries by facilitating and involving the people/private sector with technical guidance and assistance from the government through the Corporation so as to generate economic growth and employment with full justification in quantified terms and to enter into profit sharing ventures with private Companies in various limestone and other mineral based projects.
