Union Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy launched Critical Minerals Innovation Hackathon 2026

Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy launched the Critical Minerals Innovation Hackathon 2026 (CMiH 2026) to support the National Critical Mineral Mission. The initiative invites students, researchers, academic and R&D institutions, start-ups, and innovators to create technical solutions for critical mineral exploration and technology intelligence. Organised and hosted by JNARDDC, Nagpur, the hackathon focuses on two problem statements: Mineral Prospectivity Mapping from Open Data and Smart Technology and Patent Tracker for Critical Minerals. The deadline for idea submission is September 20, 2026, with winners announced at India Mining Week 2026 from November 15–17, 2026, offering cash prizes of ₹1.50 lakh for first place and ₹1.00 lakh for second place per problem statement.