Four More Mineral Blocks In Odisha Ready For Auction: Union Minister

Bhubaneswar: Four more mineral blocks are ready for auction in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, Union Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi informed the Lok Sabha.

Replying to a question by BJD MP Chandrani Murmu, Union Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the Odisha government has informed the centre about four mineral blocks in Koenjhar district, which are ready to be put for auction.

Of the four mines, two are iron ore, one iron ore and manganese block and one manganese block. “The mining blocks are Rengalaberha N-Extension and Nuagaon West iron ore virgin mines, Roida-I iron ore and manganese, Gandhalpada West iron ore mines and Roida-D manganese mines,” Joshi said.

Gandhalpada West iron ore block is part of Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts.

The Union Minister further said that compensation amount to be paid to families displaced by the mining activities will be recovered from the successful bidders after auction and grant of the mineral blocks by the state government. The time-line for completing the payment process is assessed and supervised by district collectors concerned, he added.

Notably, the state government had panned to auction 10 major and 12 minor mineral blocks in the financial year 2023-24. So far, 48 mines, including 22 iron ore blocks, have been successfully auctioned.