MoU between India and Australia on the safety in Mines, Testing and Research Station

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India and Department of Natural Resource Mines and Energy, Queensland Government, Australia through the Safety in Mines, Testing and Research Station (SIMTARS).

Impact:

The MoU will help in establishing a partnership between DGMS and SIMTARS for:

implementation of risk based safety management system, providing training,
organising, conference, seminar and other technical meetings, setting up occupations safety and health academy and national mine disaster centre, and
modernising R&D laboratory of DGMS.
Implementation strategy:

The memorandum of understanding will become operative from the date of signing and remain in effect for three years.

Background:

Mining accident rates in Australia is the lowest in the world. Australia has pioneered in conceptualising and implementing risk based Safety Management Plans for the mining sector using the technique of hazard identification and risk assessment.SIMTARS is known to have exclusive expertise in Mines Safety Management Systems.