65th meeting of the Central Geological Programming Board (CGPB) was held at A.P. Shinde Symposium Hall, ICAR, Pusa, New Delhi, organised by the Ministry of Mines in coordination with the Geological Survey of India (GSI). The meeting was chaired by Shri Piyush Goyal, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, and focused on shaping India’s geoscientific priorities and the national mineral exploration roadmap.
Meeting saw active participation from Shri Indra Dev Narayan, CMD, MECL, who led a delegation including Shri Yogesh Sharma (Advisor), Shri Shrikant Sharma (HoD NEM / DGM Exploration), Shri Gaurav Pandey, Shri Naveen Kumar Pala (Senior Managers, Geology), Ms. Ujjwala Sharma, Ms. Moumita Ghosh, and Shri Arkajyoti Saha (Assistant Managers, Geology).
The discussions highlighted the strengthening of the Critical Minerals Mission, with MECL playing a pivotal role in strategic mineral discovery and advancing national resource self-reliance. The CGPB meeting reviewed ongoing exploration activities, identified priority areas for future surveys, and emphasised sustainable and technology-driven approaches to resource mapping.
The outcomes of the 65th CGPB are expected to guide policy formulation, strategic investments, and national initiatives in the minerals and geosciences sector, contributing to India’s long-term energy and industrial security.
