In a major push to harness the mineral wealth of Jammu and Kashmir for economic growth and employment generation, the 176th Meeting of the Board of Directors (BoDs) of Jammu & Kashmir Minerals Limited (JKML) was held today at Civil Secretariat here under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary.
Speaking during the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister said that JKML has a critical role in the industrial development of J&K and it must emerge as a model, vibrant and financially self-reliant public sector undertaking. He added that the mineral wealth of J&K belongs to the people of J&K and its proper utilization through scientific practices will open up new avenues of employment and revenue generation.
Surinder Choudhary directed the management of Corporation to ensure time-bound execution of all ongoing and new projects. He stressed on optimum utilization of mineral resources, transparency in functioning, and rationalization of manpower at coal mines in Kalakote as key pillars for making JKML profitable.
Taking stock of expansion plans, the Deputy Chief Minister directed for immediate steps to operationalize the Limestone Mine at Khrew, additional Gypsum Blocks in Ramban District, and the Fuel Pump at Khrew, Pulwama. He observed that these projects will not only enhance JKML’s production capacity but will also give a major boost to the industrial and infrastructure development across Jammu and Kashmir.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to empowerment of youth, Surinder Choudhary instructed JKML management to expedite the operationalization of new mining projects on priority to create maximum employment opportunities for local youth.
During the meeting, the Board undertook a comprehensive review of the progress of various ongoing projects and held detailed deliberations on strategies to augment mineral production, expand business operations, and institutionalize sustainable and scientific mining practices across all mining areas.
In addition, the Board accorded approval to several financial and administrative proposals aimed at improving operational efficiency, strengthening governance, and enhancing the overall performance of the Corporation.
The meeting, among others was attended by ACS, Mining Department, Ashwani Kumar; Director, Geology & Mining, MD, J&K Minerals Limited, and other senior officers concerned departments and J&K Minerals Limited.