Answer:

Introduction:

Gondwanaland, an ancient supercontinent that existed from the Late Precambrian to Jurassic periods, comprised today’s Africa, South America, Antarctica, Australia, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian subcontinent. While its legacy has left many of these regions rich in mineral resources, India’s utilization of this resource wealth, especially in terms of contribution to the GDP, is relatively low when compared to its potential.

Body:

India’s geological terrain is immensely diverse, with its peninsular region being a part of the ancient Gondwanaland. This historical formation endowed India with vast reserves of coal, ferrous, and non-ferrous metals.

Mining in India:

• Coal Reserves: 
  • India has the fifth-largest coal reserves in the world. 
  • Despite this, the country imports a significant amount of coal, primarily due to the quality and energy efficiency of domestically available coal.
• Iron Ore:
  • India is among the top producers of iron ore globally, with the major deposits found in states like Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
• Other Minerals: 
  • Bauxite, manganese, limestone, and mica are some of the other significant mineral deposits in India.
• Contribution to GDP: 
  • The mining sector’s contribution to India’s GDP is around 2.5%. 
  • In contrast, countries like Australia, also a part of Gondwanaland, see a much higher percentage of their GDP coming from mining.

Factors Limiting the Contribution to GDP:

• Regulatory and Policy Challenges: 
  • The mining sector in India is often seen as over-regulated, leading to delays in clearances and approvals. 
  • These regulatory challenges can act as a deterrent for private players and foreign investors.
• Technological Constraints: 
  • Advanced mining technologies are not ubiquitously implemented across the sector, leading to inefficiencies and lesser extraction.
• Environmental and Social Concerns: 
  • Mining activities have often led to environmental degradation and displacement of local communities. 
  • This has resulted in increased resistance from civil society and necessitated rigorous environmental clearances.
• Infrastructure Bottlenecks: 
  • Lack of proper infrastructure, especially in transportation, limits the sector’s growth potential.
• Quality of Reserves: 
  • While India has abundant reserves, the quality of some resources like coal is not always up to the mark, necessitating imports.

Conclusion: 

India’s rich geological history and association with Gondwanaland have endowed it with vast mineral resources. However, a combination of policy, infrastructural, and environmental challenges has limited the potential contribution of the mining sector to the GDP. There’s a pressing need for reforms, technological upgrades, and a balanced approach to ensure that India can harness its mineral wealth sustainably, contributing more significantly to its economic growth.

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