Bhubaneswar: State government has put two more mineral blocks for auction in accordance with the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 2015.
The Directorate Mines has floated Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for auction of one block of Graphite and one block of Limestone for electronic auction for the purpose of grant of mining lease and composite licence.
The mines which are placed for the online auction are Naringapanga Graphite block in Rayagada district for mining lease (ML) and Uskalvagu Limestone block in Malkangiri district for grant of composite license (prospecting license cum ML).
As per the notification, the last date for purchase of tender document, after payment of tender fee of Rs 2 lakh for each mineral block, on the website of e-auction platform provider is October 30, 2019 and the last date for submission of the bid is November 6, 2019.
While Central PSU MSTC is providing the electronic platform for the auction, SBI Capital Markets Ltd (SBICAP), a subsidiary of State Bank of India, has been engaged as the transaction advisor.
In July, the government put seven mineral blocks for auction. Out of these, five are freehold deposits (four Limestone blocks and a Graphite block) and two are Chromite blocks.
Four limestone blocks Pipalmunda, Khatkurbahal (North), Behera Banjipali, Garramura; a graphite block, (Jagdalpur) and two lapsable chromite deposits such as Saruabil and Kamarda have been put to auction. Presently, the chromites blocks are under the leasehold of BC Mohanty (Kamarda) and Misrilall Mines (Sasubil). The last date was over and the bid will be opened September 23, official sources said.
The government now planning to put at least eight iron and one manganese mineral blocks for auction as issues pending with the Centre has been shorted out, the source said.