New Delhi, March 21 : Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey on Friday urged the captains of industry to build expertise in the mining sector to help make India self-reliant in the production of critical minerals.

'While India has become self-reliant in coal production, it still depends on imports for critical minerals. The government is making continuous efforts to bridge this gap, so I urge the industry to train its employees to build expertise in this sector, Dubey said at PHDCCI's conclave on 'Creating Future Ready Manpower for the Mining Sector.'

While stressing the importance of skill development, he encouraged industrialists to establish colleges and universities focused on mining education to equip the youth with the necessary skills.

The minister also appreciated PHDCCI for being a torch bearer in facilitating the industry and being its voice. He also emphasised the importance of skill development and said that every individual should possess skills because having the right skills ensures that no one remains unemployed.

He highlighted that the mining industry is undergoing a major transformation and urged the mining industry to shift from being a labour-intensive sector to a high-tech industry driven by automation, digitalisation, and sustainable development.

The minister also assured PHDCCI of the government's support for any future initiatives and reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions India becoming self-reliant in every sector and contributing significantly towards the 2047 Viksit Bharat goal.

PHDCCI president Hemant Jain, President, said, 'The mining industry's future will be shaped not just by the resources we extract, but by the human capital we develop.'

'The skills gap in our mining sector is real and growing. Many of our experienced professionals are approaching retirement, taking with them decades of invaluable knowledge. Meanwhile, attracting young talent to the industry remains challenging due to outdated perceptions and competition from sectors perceived as more lucrative and innovative,' he said.

He said that there was a need to address this challenge head-on through three key pillars: education transformation, industry-academic partnerships, and inclusive workforce development as no single entity could bridge the skills gap alone.

/IANS