Even minor minerals to come under e-hammer

Ranchi: The Jharkhand government is set to begin the first phase of e-auctions of minor mineral blocks this year. The state department of mines and geology on Wednesday said it has identified 15 stone blocks in Ranchi, Ramgarh, Lohardaga, Gumla, Palamu and Latehar districts and floated a notice inviting tenders to participate in the e-auction. While notice inviting tenders (NIT) have been floated for nine blocks, the timetable for issuing NITs have been rescheduled for six blocks.
Aboobacker Siddiqui, secretary (mines and geology department), said: “The process for the first phase of e-auctioning is almost complete and the preparations for the second phase of the blocks will soon be initiated.” He said approximately 50 minor mineral blocks will go under the hammer in phases. According to the state mines department, 45 minerals are listed in the minor category in Jharkhand. Siddiqui did not, however, give a clear date on which the e-auctions will begin.

However, as the state switches over to the new arrangement, opposition parties have expressed concern over the future of thousands of workers employed in the mines, alleging that the department is not renewing the mining leases that have lapsed.

Sukhdeo Bhagat, Congress MLA from Lohardaga, on Wednesday said that the Jharkhand government had withheld lease renewals of over 4,000 minor mineral mines across the state. “The future of these mines is at stake. Thousands of people who work in these mines are on the verge of losing employment. The government must grant them lease renewals at once,” Bhagat said. He had even listed a question on this matter seeking the government’s reply in the ongoing budget session of the assembly.

However, the state mining department said the mining leases are being withheld as per revised amendments to the Union government’s Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act in 2015. “As per the amendments, the leases which expire before March 2020 will not be renewed and put through e-auction. The ongoing leases, which expire after March 2020, will also be brought under e-auction,” state mines director Zeishan Qamar said. As per official figures, more than 4,897 minor mineral mining leases had been given by the state government.