The Geological Survey of India has submitted a proposal to outsource its mineral surveys to global experts owing to paucity of personnel.
“We have submitted a proposal to outsource part of minerals survey and the Mining Ministry will take it up with the Planning Commission,” GSI Director Planning and Monitoring Nitish Das said.
Das said in the last 10 years GSI had started geo-chemical mapping and was able to cover only two lakh sq km, but with only 2,000 engineers it would take too long to survey the entire 8.5 lakh sq km. Speaking on the sidelines of ICC and Canadian India Business Council roundtable, Das said the ministry aimed to complete the geo-chemical survey for minerals in the five years of the 12th plan period. He said GSI had completed 99 per cent of the geographical survey of the country on a scale of 1:50,000 and added that after minerals, GSI would survey agriculture and some other areas.