Most of the 80 leases, which will be auctioned, are of limestone mines while rest are of iron-ore, bauxite and others
Representational image
New Delhi: Buoyed by the successful auction of coal blocks, the government now plans to offer 80 mining leases through the e-auction route. According to highly placed sources, out of the 199 mining leases which were initially identified by the government, 80 will be given away in the first phase by December 2015.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi having cited the auction of coal blocks as a successful example of transparency and weeding out corruption during his August 15 speech, the e-auction route will be used for auction of mining leases, as it was found to be free of any manipulation or tampering, sources added.
Most of the 80 leases, which will be auctioned, are of limestone mines while rest are of iron-ore, bauxite and others.
The auction will be conducted by states and they will also have the power to reserve any number of mines for a particular end use. The states will decide for which sector mines can be used for.
Initially the mines ministry had released a list of 199 mines across the country, whose leases were to be auctioned. But sources said, only 99 of these were found to be in a position to be offered for bidding. Out of these 99, now 80 leases are to be given away, and the proc-ess is likely to commence from next month onwards and it will be wrapped up by December this year.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
Next Story
