65-70 mines to be auctioned in the 1st phase: Secy

A lower 65-70 mineral-bearing mines would be auctioned by the states in the first phase starting this month as against 80-90 blocks identified earlier, a top official said today.
Earlier, the Centre had said that 12 mineral-producing states had identified 80-90 blocks that would go under the hammer starting this month.
"Around 65-70 blocks have been shortlisted for the mines auction in the first phase by the states. Earlier, this number was 80-90," Mines Secretary Balvinder Kumar said at an event organised by FICCI here.
Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015 in March, which stipulates auction as the only means to allow extraction of minerals.

On November 10, Gujarat said it was starting the mines auction by putting up five blocks of limestone -- key ingredient in making cement -- under the hammer, making it the first state to start the process.
Yesterday, Rajasthan said it will soon start e-auction of three limestone blocks and the state plans to conclude the entire process by the end of January next year.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Mineral Resources Director Reena B Kangale, who was also present at the event, said that her state will start the auction process to put under the hammer 4 limestone and one gold block by month end.

Kumar also said that Karnataka is expected to start the process to auction 15 iron ore blocks and the Centre is estimating 65-70 tender notices for blocks to be issued by December end.
"Besides, next year another 50-60 minerals blocks will be put up for auction," he added.
The Mines Ministry has identified 199 such mines that can be allocated through the auction route. They are located in mineral-rich States such as Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Odisha.