ISLAMABAD: The mining and quarrying sector during the just ended fiscal year has witnessed 3.8 percent growth as compared to 1.6 percent last year.
Pakistan is bestowed with all kinds of resources which also include mineral resources. The country also possesses a large number of industrial rocks, metallic and non-metallic minerals which have not yet been evaluated but thanks to positive policies of the government, 3.8 per cent growth was achieved.
Sources at Finance Division said that soap stone, crude oil, gypsum, coal and limestone posted a positive growth rate of 41.68 percent, 14.03 percent, 8.11 percent, 4.12 percent and 3.73 percent respectively.
The sources said major ongoing scheme last year was “Appraisal of newly discovered coal resources of Badin coal field and its adjoining areas of Southern Sindh” and also “Exploration of tertiary coal in central salt range Punjab” having total estimated cost of Rs. 170 million and 43.35 million respectively.
One new scheme, namely “Exploration and Evaluation of coal in Raghni area Tehsil Shahrig, Balochistan” is also included which has total cost of Rs. 56.78 million.
