Sindh Mines And Minerals Governance Act 2021 To Be Tabled Soon: Minister Minerals

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jun, 2021 ) :Sindh Minister for Mines and Minerals, Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Rural Development (RD) department, Mir Shabbir Ali Bijarani has said that 'Sindh Mines and Minerals Governance Act would be tabled before the Sindh Assembly soon.

Talking to journalists at his office in Sindh Assembly here on Tuesday, Shabbir Ali Bijarani said that after 18th Constitutional Amendment, the Mines and Minerals Development department took this initiative to draft the Sindh Mines and Minerals Governance Act for properly regulating the mining sector in Sindh.

Mir Shabbir Bijarani informed that 'Sindh Metalliferous Mines Act 2021' had also been approved by Sindh Cabinet to ensure safe and healthy working environment for mine labor, and it would soon be placed before the Sindh Assembly for promulgation.

He said that Mines and Minerals Development department had also been working on 'Sindh granite mining policy' with the consensus of all stakeholders ensuring the protection of historical sites.

He added, 'Thar is blessed with natural resources and contain minerals like granite, China Clay, iron ore, fuller earth etc. About 26 billion tons of estimated granite reserves available in Karonjhar range in Thar and the policy regarding mining in Karonjhar would also be finalized soon," he added.

Mir Shabbir Bijarani told the newsmen that work was also underway on environmental mapping of mining areas of Sindh for conservation of minerals and natural resources, besides, an ADP scheme at the total cost of Rs 39.8 million was also aimed modernizing the department through digital mapping of mining sites and computerization of records related to mining permits and leases.

He further said that Sindh would be the first province in Pakistan which would start the study of all the minerals available in the province and create a detailed profile of precious, semi-precious and other minerals of economic importance. This study would determine the quality and location of available minerals. 'The profile study of identified minerals for reserve estimation in Sindh' is a ADP scheme at the cost of Rs 240 million, he noted.

The journalists were also briefed about the achievements of PHE and RD departments and said that PHE department completed 52 water supply and 57 drainage schemes with the investment of Rs 8.010 billion in last three years to serve population of 2.786 million.

He said that around 301 schemes of water supply and drainage would be executed in next financial year 2021-22 under the ADP's allocation of Rs 15.500 billion.