Vidarbha holds 70% of Maharashtra’s mineral resources, yet local processing remains a challenge. VED has consistently advocated for on-site processing facilities to reduce high logistics costs. A step forward was the establishment of a manganese ferroalloys cluster near Ramtek, close to the mines, promoting local value addition. However, progress is hindered by the lack of a state Mining Policy. At MINCON 2019, VED and MSMC were tasked with drafting a policy, which was submitted in July 2019. Despite its importance, implementation is still pending, delaying the sector’s growth.