New Delhi, Sep 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday assured the recycling industry that the government would examine its key demands and pursue necessary reforms on a fast-track basis as India seeks to build a robust critical mineral recycling ecosystem and advance its circular economy goals.
Addressing the Material Recycling Association of India's (MRAI) National Seminar on "India's Critical Mineral Recycling Ecosystem and Circular Economy," Reddy said the government is committed to promoting critical mineral recycling in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of self-reliance, sustainability and technological innovation.
The minister's assurance came after industry representatives raised concerns over several policy issues, including the mandatory Pre-shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) framework for scrap imports, import duties on aluminium scrap and the need for reforms in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime.
The industry also sought recognition as a formal industry sector, arguing that such measures would improve access to finance, technology and government support.
Reddy highlighted the growing importance of recycling in securing critical mineral supplies and reducing India's dependence on imports and primary mining.
He said the government is preparing an incentive scheme for critical mineral recycling and has earmarked nearly Rs 34,000 crore for critical mineral development initiatives.
He added that Centres of Excellence are being proposed through IITs and other technology institutions to support research and the development of advanced recovery and processing technologies.
According to the minister, India has the potential to emerge as a major secondary source of critical minerals by recovering valuable materials from discarded products and industrial waste.
Such an approach would not only enhance resource security but also reduce the environmental impact associated with conventional mining activities.
Emphasising the need for coordinated action, Reddy called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to building the recycling ecosystem, with employment generation, reverse logistics and domestic processing capabilities forming its key pillars.
The recycling industry, meanwhile, used the platform to renew its demand for the abolition of the mandatory PSIC regime governing imports of ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap. MRAI argued that the current system has disrupted operations and increased costs, and proposed a technology-driven inspection framework based at Indian ports.
Source: IANS
About Gopi
Gopi Adusumilli is a Programmer. He is the editor of SocialNews.XYZ and President of AGK Fire Inc.
He enjoys designing websites, developing mobile applications and publishing news articles on current events from various authenticated news sources.
When it comes to writing he likes to write about current world politics and Indian Movies. His future plans include developing SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgment towards any.
He can be reached at gopi@socialnews.xyz