‘Give granite status of major mineral’

Addressing a Press conference at New Delhi as a curtain raiser to the 11th edition of Stona, one of the world’s top five granite, marble and other natural stone fairs, which is scheduled to be organised by AIGSA at Bengaluru from February 12 to 15, he said, ‘We probably have the largest reserves of granites and natural stones, accounting for 20 per cent of world reserves (approx. 1690 million cubic metres). India can become the top exporter with the assistance of the Government but because of the various restrictions such as poor state rules and environmental concerns, we are at present only able to exploit an abysmal 3 per cent of the existing resources.’

There is a need to declare granites and other stones ‘major minerals’ instead of Minor Minerals as at present, because of which every state has its own policy overlooking the Granite Conservation and Development Rules 1999, framed by the Government.