Central Geological Programming Board
| BACKGROUND |
The Central Geological Programming Board (CGPB) is the apex body at the national level to overview the programme of geoscientific activities including mineral exploration in the country. It was established through Government of India Resolution dt. 27th July, 1966, and subsequently revamped vide Ministry of Mines resolution no. F. No. 4(2)97-M.I of 12th March, 2009 with the constitution of 12 theme based committees. This notification also directed that CGPB meeting be held twice in a year. Vide gazette notification No. 4(6)2013-M.I of 7th May 2013, the CGPB meeting was revised to be held once a year in February.
The Secretary (Mines) is the chairman of CGPB. Geological Survey of India is the nodal department (Member Secretary) and the State Geology and Mining departments and Central Government institutions, permanent and special invitees are its participating members.
The revamped CGPB coordinates activities on geological mapping, mineral prospecting, exploration and exploitation in the country.
It is responsible for providing the general strategic direction of geosciences activity; effecting programmatic coordination among agencies; enabling better interaction between central agencies and state level organizations; human resource, and research capability; identifying new areas and new technologies for geoscientific activities; advising on geosciences partnerships between GSI, and State and Central – level agencies; actively promoting use of information technology; and approving five-year detailed sub-sectoral targets on a rolling plan basis.
The Board, at present, is supported by the following 12 theme–based committees:
i Ferrous Minerals (Iron, Manganese & Chromite, etc.)
ii Precious Metals & Minerals (Gold, Platinum Group of elements, diamond & precious stones)
iii. Non-Ferrous and Strategic Mineral (Basemetal, Tin, Tungsten, Bauxite etc.)
iv. Industrial & Fertilizer Minerals
v. Energy Minerals & Resources (Coal, Lignite & Geothermal)
vi .Marine Geology & Exploration and Coastal Geoscience
vii. Airborne Survey & Remote Sensing
viii. Geology & Mineral Resources of North Eastern Region
ix. Geoscientific Investigation (Geotechnical Investigation, natural hazards, climate change, x. Environmental Geology, Shallow subsurface Geology & Subsurface Hydrology)
x. Fundamental and Multidisciplinary Geoscience
xi Geoinformatics and data management
xii. Geoscience for sustainable development
The process for CGPB starts with the meetings of the State Geological Programming Boards (SGPB) wherein geological/mining issues pertaining to the state are discussed, and the proposals of collaborations with GSI are formulated. These proposals/recommendations are carried forward to the relevant CGPB Committees (I-XII), where they are finalized through further deliberations and, thereafter, presented in the Central Board meeting of the CGPB as Agenda items. The agenda items are discussed in the CGPB meeting, and included as field season item of GSI based on merit.
Till Now, 54 CGPB meetings have been held, the last one being held on 5-6 February 2015 New Delhi.
Source Ministry of Mines ,15-February, 2016