Minerals are vital for nation's progress: TVK Reddy

Hyderabad: Minerals are essential for industrial and economic development of nation and vital for nation's progress, said T.V.K Reddy, ADG- Region, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

He was addressing the media persons in a press conference by Geological survey of India Training Institute (GSITI) in Kavadiguda CGO Complex today.

Ch. Venkateswara Rao, Deputy Director General, GSITI explained about the activities of the institute. He elaborately explained about GSITI. He said Geological Survey of India Training Institute (GSITI) is a premier training Institute of international repute, dedicated to the skill up gradation and knowledge dissemination in the field of Geosciences. Established in the year 1976, with its headquarters located at Hyderabad, the institute has six (06) Regional Training Institutes (RTIs) located at Hyderabad, Nagpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Jaipur and Shillong and four (04) Field Training Centres (FTCs) at Chitradurga (Karnataka), Zawar (Rajasthan), Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and Kuju (Jharkhand). Each Field Training center is located with a domain specific geological setting, apt for imparting training to upgrade field based knowledge.

About 50, highly qualified and experienced geoscientists from different branches of Geosciences, are engaged continuously as Faculty in a pursuit to facilitate knowledge sharing. State of the art Laboratory and Training Divisions have been created at its headquarters Hyderabad which includes Petrology, Centre for Geoinformation and Management Training (CGMAT), Photo Geology and Remote Sensing (PGRS), Geophysics, Chemistry and Engineering, GSITI has set a target for skill development of 3000 professionals per year, including GSI and others, in addition to training to students.

Venkateswara Rao said about 32000 professionals and geoscientists have benefited from the courses offered by the training institute since its inception. GSITI has been successful in making slow but steady strides towards expansion of its scope. It started with its core activity of the institute in imparting Induction-level training programs to newly recruited Group A and Group B personnel of Geology, Geophysics, Chemistry and Engineering streams and need based refresher courses for in-service scientific and technical personnel. Later the scope of the training was expanded to other organizations and foreign countries as well.

Training to International participants is one of the flagship programme of GSIT, under the aegis of Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. With the increasing demand from the International trainees, GSITI is accommodating now-a-days at its maximum limit. So far 433 trainees from 62 countries across the World, visited GSITI Hyderabad and have always praised the training's conducted by GSITI in this Pearl City.

The feedback from the overseas trainees has been overwhelming, with most of the trainees being absorbed in various capacities or doing extremely well in their professional life, after the training and more requests on such trainings are being received from different countries for their inclusion. GSITI has also taken up capacity building for the state Directorate of Geology and Mining (DGM), Public Sector Undertakings (PSU), Universities/Institutions and other earth science organizations of the country, which can enhance the capability of the officers to implement mineral exploration projects, independently.

The institute imparts both field and lab based trainings as per the requirement of the departments. While the field based training is imparted at FTCs depending on the domain of expertise, laboratory based training's are imparted on geochemical analysis using both classical and modern instrumental techniques like, X Ray Fluorescence, X Ray Diffraction, Electron Probe Micro Analyzer, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer, Gas Chromatography, Atomic Absorption Spectrometer modules etc.

Besides technical programmes, Administrative/Management courses for the departmental personnel, are conducted in collaboration with Management Institutes of National and international repute. Advanced, soft ware based modules covered for the Indian and overseas organizations, include Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing and Geographic Information System. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as well as Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Govt. of India recognise GSITI for its advanced technology know how and accordingly sponsor programmes under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) and National Natural Resources Management System respectively.

Recently, under BHUVISAMVAD program, the expertise gained by our faculty, over decades, is being shared with the society. Over 2500 students and teachers of different Universities and Colleges have benefited from this program within a short span of 6 months. These training's have broadened the outlook of the students towards greater opportunities in the field of geosciences. Besides, GSITI has started offering research programs for the scientists of GSI through Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, leading to award of Ph.D. Degree, He added.

Training programs by GSITI, have helped the geoscientists immensely, in discovering treasures from the earth and in facilitating completion of prestigious infrastructural projects in India and abroad by way of skill development and knowledge updating. GSITI is committed to serve the nation through Training and Capacity building for all.

Dr.Tarak Nath Pal, Director GSI said.