Parliament Question: Lack of funding for Geological Survey of India

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4099 ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026 LACK OF FUNDING FOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA 4099. SMT. RANJEET RANJAN: SHRI NEERAJ DANGI: SHRI SHAKTISINH GOHIL: Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state: (a) the Budget allocation and actual expenditure of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) during the last five financial years, year-wise; (b) whether Government has taken cognizance of observations of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee regarding financial constraints in GSI; (c) whether any projects relating to critical and strategic minerals have been delayed or deferred due to financial or manpower constraints; and (d) the steps taken or proposed to augment financial allocation and technical capacity of GSI to meet the increased exploration requirements, particularly for critical minerals? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL AND MINES (SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY) (a): The details of the budget allocation and actual expenditure of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) during the last five financial years are as follows: (₹ in crores) Financial Year 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 Budget Estimate 1349.98 1181.58 1205.17 1308.60 1300.00 Revised Estimate 1116.24 1170.38 1258.86 1346.45 1425.60 Actual Expenditure 1110.94 1166.54 1254.76 1341.34 1413.63 (b) and (c): The budget allocation for GSI has been increased every year. Additional budget has been provided to GSI under revised estimates as per requirement. Therefore, no projects relating to critical and strategic minerals in GSI have been delayed or deferred due to financial or manpower constraints. (d): As regards the steps taken to augment technical capacity of GSI for meeting increased exploration requirements, particularly for critical minerals, GSI has adopted several advanced geoscientific technologies and systematic approaches such as National Geophysical Mapping, National Aero-Geophysical Mapping and drone-based geophysical mapping, innovativesurvey techniques like Magneto-Telluric surveys and multispectral/ hyperspectral mapping, Regional Mineral Targeting and Artificial Intelligence /Machine Learning based mineral prospectivity mapping using hyperspectral and multispectral image data, thereby expanding the scope of exploration and delineating potential mineralized zones even in previously non- prospective, under-explored and geologically challenging terrains. GSI has also taken up an extensive modernization programme through the infusion of high-end equipment in laboratories for more efficient and faster execution of exploration programmes. Financial resources have been augmented as per exploration requirements, including those for critical minerals. *****