Raj mines auction may face delays; Centre sends team to state

The upcoming auction of mines in Rajasthan, scheduled for November, is expected to be delayed in light of arrest of the state's Mines Secretary for allegedly accepting bribes.
The Centre had proposed to 12 mineral-bearing states that it can conduct auction of mines on their behalf. However, three states of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat had said that they would manage mines sale on their own.
Senior IAS officer and Principal Secretary (Mines) Ashok Singhvi, who was looking after the mines auction process in the state, was arrested by Rajasthan Anti Corruption Bureau this month in an alleged case of graft.

"Now with Singhvi's arrest, mines auction in the state is likely to face delays. He was spearheading the process here. Singhvi had told the Centre that Rajasthan has moved ahead in the process and will conduct it on its own," a source in the state government said.
Meanwhile, Union Mines Secretary Balvinder Kumar told PTI that his ministry has sent an officer to Rajasthan to review the progress of the auction process.
"We have sent a director-level officer there (Rajasthan) to see what the progress is. The officer will come back and apprise us of this, post which we will take a decision whether to speak to the Chief Secretary to offer Centre's assistance in conducting auction or we handhold them on this," he added.

In July, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia had told Steel and Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar that state has identified over 30 blocks for auction of ML (mining lease) and PL-cum-ML (prospecting license-cum-mining lease), including those for limestone, manganese, potash and iron ore.

However, a senior official said that Rajasthan is likely to put up only 10 blocks in the auction.
"They (Rajasthan) have indicated putting 10 blocks for auction. Considering the Mines Secretary has been arrested on alleged graft charges, the Centre might step in to conduct the auction on their behalf or direct the state to re-start the process, which in any case spells delay," the officer added.

The states are set to auction 80 blocks bearing minerals such as iron ore, bauxite and limestone by November this year.