With this rising trend, the value of mineral production has increased manifold from Rs 58 crore in 1947 to more than Rs 37,150 crore in 1997-98.

According to a senior official of the department, "Economic reforms initiated in 1991 resulted in a rapid growth in the Indian mineral sector in general and in the industrial mineral sector in particular. Despite not enjoying high priority status, the value of production of non-metallic minerals has increased from Rs 799 crore in 1991-92 to a level of Rs 1343 crore in 1996-97, registering an impressive increase of over 68 per cent."

According to the official, growth in markets for industrial minerals has also kept pace with growth in production of the minerals.

The non-metallic mineral basedproducts sector registered a growth rate of 12 per cent in 1995-96 as against eight per cent in 1994-95 and 4.5 per cent in 1993-94, which was amply reflected in the growth of industries like cement, paper, rubber, plastics and chemicals, which are the major consumers of industrial minerals.

He said that the fact, however, remains that the production of industrial minerals in the country meets only about 50 per cent of the domestic demand and with the likely increase of demand, there is urgent necessity of more investments in the industrial mineral sector.

He said that while India is endowed with excellent to adequate reserves of a number of industrial minerals, there are certain minerals such as apatite and rock phosphate, graphite, asbestos, fluorite, kyanite, sulphur and potash which fall in the deficit or scare categories.