THUNDER BAY – Ontario will be host to the Mines Minister from India, Bijoy Krishna Handique from July 8th to 13th. The visit will include a stop in Thunder Bay.
Handique will be visiting mines, and mining companies, and is in Canada in an effort to attract some of those companies to India.
The Minister will also be signing a memorandum of understanding with Ontario. The meetings have been organised by the Canada-India Business Council.
Minister Hadique became the Minister responsible for Mines at the end of May. Taking charge of office the Minister said that implementation of the New Mineral Policy, 2009 would be high on his agenda. He would also endeavour to bring in more transparency into the system and work towards attracting foreign and private investment into the mining sector.
The Minister emphasized that he would work towards bringing untapped areas like states in the North-Eastern Region under the Mining Sector. He also said that conservation would remain an area of major concern for him and thus he would ensure a mining sector with high sensibility towards environment.
India is developing a new mining policy. Handique will stop in Sudbury and Thunder Bay as well as stops in Quebec as part of his Canadian tour.
Officials from the Geological Survey of India, the Indian Bureau of Mines, Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd, and National Aluminum Company Ltd will accompany the Indian Mining Minister on his travels.