Centre Completes Auction Of 8 Critical Mineral Blocks In Big Step To Bolster Self-Reliance

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Centre Completes Auction Of 8 Critical Mineral Blocks In Big Step To Bolster ...

by Hemanta Pande

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

The Ministry of Mines has successfully concluded the auction of 8 critical mineral blocks, launched under Tranche IV of the Auction of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks as part of India’s strategy to secure a steady supply of these minerals vital for sectors including electronics, EVs, defence, and renewable energy.

New Delhi, Nov 7: The Ministry of Mines has successfully concluded the auction of 8 critical mineral blocks, launched under Tranche IV of the Auction of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks as part of India’s strategy to secure a steady supply of these minerals vital for sectors including electronics, EVs, defence, and renewable energy.

"These blocks contain deposits of strategic minerals such as phosphorite, graphite, and vanadium, essential for high-tech and green energy applications. The auction process for the 8 blocks has successfully concluded and for the remaining 2 blocks the process will be completed by December 2 this year," the Ministry said.

The Tranche IV auction has also marked a beginning for the northeast into India’s mineral auction landscape, with as many as four maiden blocks successfully auctioned in Arunachal Pradesh. The other four blocks are in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

Significantly, this tranche features the first successful auction of a tungsten block and two cobalt blocks. These strategic minerals are essential for high-tech, defence, and energy storage applications, and will contribute towards reducing import dependency.

Following the issuance of the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) on June 24, 2024, for 21 mineral blocks, the auction attracted strong interest from industry stakeholders.

After the evaluation of technical bids, 10 mineral blocks advanced to the second round of e-auction, which included three First Attempt Blocks and seven Second Attempt Blocks, the official statement said.

This achievement underscores the government’s commitment to bolstering mineral security and ensuring the availability of vital resources needed for the nation’s energy transition, and sustainable industrial and economic growth. The auction, conducted under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, leverages the Central government’s authority to grant mineral concessions for key minerals listed in Part D of the First Schedule.

This legislative empowerment marks a pivotal step in India’s strategy to secure a steady supply of critical minerals vital for sectors including electronics, defence, and renewable energy. With the successful auction of these 8 critical mineral blocks under Tranche IV, the total number of successfully auctioned critical & strategic mineral blocks by the Central government has reached 22. The successful auction outcomes reflect the growing confidence among industry players in India’s mining sector reforms. It is a step in fulfilling the government’s vision to achieve self-reliance in critical minerals and position India as a competitive player in the global mineral economy.

--IANS

Read More Odisha News

Gang-Rape Of Odisha Woman In Delhi: Autorickshaw Driver, 2 Others Arrested

by Hemanta Pande

New Delhi, Nov 7: Three persons have been arrested here for allegedly raping a woman hailing from Odisha and then abandoning her in the national capital's Sarai Kale Khan area last month, the police said on Thursday.

The arrested individuals were identified as Prabhu Mahto - an auto rickshaw driver, Parmod Babu, and Mohammad Shamsul.

The incident came to light in the early hours of October 11 when a call was received by the police at around 3.15 a.m. about a woman, who was bleeding, lying on the roadside in the Sarai Kale Khan area.

The police took the victim to hospital where a medical examination confirmed sexual assault, said a police officer, adding that she was still under treatment at AIIMS.

A police statement said the culprits were identified and arrested using CCTV analysis – one of which showed the victim near the Old Delhi Railway station on October 10.

During the analysis of footage from about 700 cameras, auto driver Prabhu Mahto was identified and arrested on October 30. Parmod Babu, a shopkeeper, and Mohammad Shamsul, a roadside beggar, were also arrested.

Parmod and Shamsul told police that they both conspired to sexually assault the woman when they found her sitting alone.

They forcefully took the girl to a deserted area and sexually assaulted her, with auto driver Prabhu joining them in the offence.

After the sexual assault, the auto driver forced the woman into his vehicle and again raped her, before dumping her near Sarai Kale Khan, the police said.

During the investigation, the police found that the woman had come to Delhi from Odisha a year ago in search of a job, but she had not informed her family about her decision.

Two months ago, her parents had come to the city to take her back, but she refused to accompany them.

Since last month, she had lost contact with her family as her phone was stolen, police said.

After running out of money, as the woman had no place to stay, she had been living on the streets when the incident took place in October. She had also been sleeping near an ATM and at a railway station.

--IANS

Union Minister Dhamendra Pradhan Takes Part In ‘Chhath Puja’ In Sambalpur

by Hemanta Pande

Sambalpur, Nov 7: Senior BJP leader and Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday took part in the rituals of ‘Chhath Puja’ here in Odisha.

Pradhan offered ‘Sandhya Arghya’ to the setting sun from the bank of the river Mahanadi here on the third day of the Chhath festival this evening.

ଐତିହାସିକ ସମ୍ବଲପୁରରେ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ପରିବେଶରେ ଛଠ୍ ପୂଜାରେ ସାମିଲ ହେବା ମୋର ସୌଭାଗ୍ୟ । ଛଠ୍ ପୂଜା ଜନସାଧାରଣଙ୍କ ଆସ୍ଥାର ପବିତ୍ର ପର୍ବ । ପ୍ରକୃତି ସଂରକ୍ଷଣ ଓ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଉପାସନାର ମହାନ ପର୍ବ । ଆମ ଭାରତୀୟ ଲୋକସଂସ୍କୃତି, ସଂସ୍କାର ଏବଂ ପରମ୍ପରାର ଏହି ଅନନ୍ୟ ପର୍ବ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ଜୀବନରେ ଖୁସି ଓ ଆନନ୍ଦ ଆଣିଦେଉ । ଆମ ପର୍ବର… pic.twitter.com/JphO6qt1Oc — Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) November 7, 2024

In a social media post, Pradhan said that the auspicious ‘Chhath Puja’ is a great festival of conservation of nature and worship of Sun.

“India is the only civilization where not only the rising sun but also the setting sun is worshipped. Chhath Mahotsav is a symbol of faith, devotion, values, rituals, cleanliness and a festival of gratitude towards nature,” he said.