The North News
Chandigarh/New Delhi, May 27
Punjab’s Minister for Mining, Geology, and Water Resources, Barinder Kumar Goyal, has urged the Union government to accelerate a long-delayed geological survey of potash deposits discovered in the state’s southern districts. During a meeting with Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, in New Delhi on Monday, Goyal stressed the strategic and economic significance of the mineral for both Punjab and India.
Potash, a vital agricultural input used in fertilisers, has been identified in Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka districts. India currently relies on imports to meet domestic demand, and the Punjab government sees the untapped reserves as a crucial opportunity to reduce dependency while boosting local development.
“We must expedite the survey to understand the scale of the resource,” Goyal told reporters following the meeting at Shastri Bhawan. “This could be a game-changer not only for Punjab’s economy but for India’s mineral self-reliance.”
The minister said that although initial signs of potash were found as early as 1985, successive governments failed to act. Drilling has been conducted at ten sites in the identified districts, but a comprehensive geological study is still lacking.
Union Minister Reddy reportedly responded positively to Punjab’s request and directed his department to prepare an action plan for the survey. A joint meeting between central and state officials is also being planned to address broader issues facing the mining sector in Punjab.
Goyal, a close aide to Aam Aadmi Party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, framed the push for mineral exploration as part of a wider development agenda. “Punjab has already contributed to India’s independence and food security,” he said. “Now, it can play a pivotal role in the mineral sector too.”
Senior state officials including Additional Chief Secretary Jaspreet Talwar and Director Abhijit Kaplish were also present during the discussions.
