Nine new iron ore and iron-manganese mineral blocks in Odisha’s Sundargarh and Keonijhar districts will be allocated for mining from July.
These nine minerals include five iron ore blocks in Sundargarh and two in Keonjhar. Additionally, one iron and manganese block in Unchabali and yet another manganese block at Kalimati will also be auctioned along with seven iron blocks in Sundargarh and Keonjhar.
Block locations
| Sundargarh |
| Purebhal |
| Chaniposhi |
| Pathiriposi |
| Dholtapahad |
| Netrabandha Pahar |
| Kenoijhar |
| Gandhalpada |
| Rengalbeda |
The government had earlier directed Indian states to identify a minimum of five new mines to be allocated for extraction within their jurisdiction. Now the central government looks to speed up the sale and operationalisation of these new blocks located in mineral-rich states. These auction processes will have pre-embedded clearance on a pilot basis.
Ministry of Mines has asked the state government to set up Project monitoring unit (PMU) to issue clearances and approvals necessary for starting a mining project. PMU’s will also provide a forest clearance stage-I certificate. Indian Bureau of Mines will approve these mining plans in 15 days, the order says.