Hyderabad, July 3 -- Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Thursday said the central government is actively encouraging private companies to mine and explore critical minerals overseas and bring them back into the country to serve the needs of the domestic industry.

"We are encouraging private companies to mine and explore critical minerals overseas. We are for Indian private companies mining overseas and bringing minerals back into India. We are actively encouraging them," Reddy told reporters here.

The Union Cabinet in January 2025 approved the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) with an expenditure of Rs 16,300 crore and an expected investment of Rs 18,000 crore by Public Sector Undertakings.

"Through the national crit...