Kolkata, Jun 30 (PTI) West Bengal holds immense opportunity in the minerals sector, and the state government is hoping to achieve the mineral revenue of Odisha in the future, a senior official said Friday.

At present, Bengal is no match for Odisha, which generates around Rs 50,000 crore in terms of mineral revenue, he said.

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"The sand mining policy has led to an increase in government revenue, from a mere Rs 50 crore to over Rs 1,000 crore," West Bengal Industry and Commerce Secretary Anurag Srivastava said at an Assocham-organised conclave here.

He said Bengal has one-fifth of the country's mineral reserves and one-third of its mineral production. “So opportunities remain untapped.”

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Srivastava also said he expects commercial production to soon begin at Asia's largest coal block, the Deocha-Pachami, in Birbhum district.

The state government is in the process of implementing the rehabilitation and resettlement scheme for 4,000 families for the project.

Speaking on the occasion, Hindustan Copper CMD A K Shukla lauded Bengal's R&R scheme for Deocha-Pachami, stating that it was “comprehensive”.

Srivastava also said Bengal could would receive an investment of Rs 50,000 crore for shale gas development and production.

Companies such as Great Eastern Energy Corporation and Essar Oil and Gas Exploration are understood to have expressed interest in investing in the sector.

Srivastava said the national gas grid will help the state in the area of green energy.

According to estimates, 38 lakh piped natural gas connections are likely in Bengal.

Shukla added that the Centre was giving emphasis on critical minerals, and copper has been identified as one.

The export value of minerals in 2021-22 was Rs 2.6 lakh crore, while imports were Rs 15.5 lakh crore, he said.

"Mining is complex. Finance, rehabilitation and resettlement programs, and even sometimes technology, can pose challenges. There is a need for proactive support from the state government," the top Hindustan Copper official said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)