HYDERABAD

Telangana has taken a significant step towards promoting long-term research and institutional collaboration in the fields of exploration of critical minerals and advanced mineral technologies with a joint partnership between Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, IIT Hyderabad, and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL).

Deputy Chief Minister M. Bhatti Vikramarka had a meeting with the Dean (Engineering) of Monash University and senior officials of SCCL and IIT Hyderabad here on Tuesday with a focus on accelerating research in the critical minerals sector through a joint partnership. He stated that the importance of critical minerals was growing rapidly as the country was expanding its renewable energy sector.

Telangana, he said, would not remain merely a consumer of critical minerals but would also emerge as a key partner across the entire value chain. He suggested that the academic partnership should not be limited to research alone, but should also focus on developing technologies that could be scaled up for commercial applications.

Asking the officials to prepare an action plan for the proposed collaboration at the earliest, Mr. Vikramarka made it clear that the State Government would extend all its support and cooperation to transform Telangana into a centre for critical minerals research and innovation. He also stressed the need to strengthen the Centre of Excellence at IIT Hyderabad and develop it into a platform for advanced research and technological development.

By bringing together Monash University, IIT Hyderabad, and Singareni, the partnership the State government was planning to focus on mineral exploration, mineral extraction, processing and refining technologies as well as methods for recovering critical minerals from waste, the Deputy Chief Minister said. The collaboration would help address the shortage of raw materials required for key sectors such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, battery storage systems and electronics.

Deputy Chief Minister’s Special Secretary and Chairman and Managing Director of TG-Transco D. Krishna Bhaskar, Monash University Dean Prof. Yannis Ventikos, founders of the Australia–India Critical Minerals Research Hub Prof. Mohan Yellishetty and Prof. Raman Singh along with senior officials of Singareni attended the meeting.

Accident insurance cheque

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister handed over a cheque for ₹1 crore towards accident insurance cover/claim to Boda Swathi, wife of B. Shankar Reddy, a Grade-II employee who died accidentally while on duty in Huzurabad 132/11 KV substation on October 1 last year.