Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government on Wednesday issued notification for online auction of 11 more mining blocks including seven virgin blocks. Leases of four other blocks have expired.
The Directorate of Mines has issued Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for grant of mining lease for seven iron ore blocks, two iron ore & Manganese blocks, one iron ore & dolomite and one bauxite block.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 10 (B) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and in accordance with the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015 as amended from time to time notified thereunder, the Government of Odisha has identified 11 mineral blocks as under for electronic auction and hereby invites tenders for the purposes of grant of Mining Lease,” the Directorate said.
The four blocks, whose lease has already expired are—Kasia Iron Ore & Dolomite Block, Nadidih Iron Ore Block (BICO), Nadidih Iron Ore & Manganese Block (FEEGRADE) and Teherai Iron ore & Manganese Block.
Similarly, the seven virgin blocks include Purheibahal Iron Ore Block, Chandiposhi Iron Ore Block, JumkaPathriposhi Iron Ore Block, Dholtapahar Iron Ore Block, NetrabandhaPahar (West) Iron Ore Block and Gandhalpada Iron Ore Block. The Government has put only the Karlapat bauxite mineral block, a virgin block, for auction along with these iron and manganese blocks.
All these seven blocks are virgin areas. Bidders, who will bag these blocks, would have to develop these blocks for mining, said sources.
Interested and eligible bidders will have to register themselves on the website of MSTC Limited (https://www.mstcecommerce.com/auctionhome/mlcl/index.jsp). The model documents and summary of the blocks is also available on the website. On successful registration, they will obtain login ID and password, which is a necessity for participation in the e-auction process.
The interested bidder can purchase the tender documents till August 19, 2021 while August 24 is the last date for submission of the bid. The tender fee for the 11 blocks is Rs 5 lakh each.
Accordingly, the government has invited financial bids in digital format only and technical bids in both in digital and physical format from eligible bidders.
The bidders, who had purchased the tender document for a particular mineral block, for which the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) was issued on October 18, 2019, can avail the tender document of that particular mineral block without paying the tender fee.
The six blocks for which NIT had issued earlier are—Purheibahal Iron Ore Block, Chandiposhi Iron Ore Block, JumkaPathiriposhiPahar Iron Ore Block, Dholtapahar Iron Ore Block, NetrabandhaPahar (West) Iron Ore Block and Gandhalpada Iron Ore Block).
Further, Sociedade De Fomento Industrial Private Limited, Vishal LPG Industries and Tarama Apartment Private Limited are debarred from participating in Nadidih Iron Ore Block (BICO), Nadidih Iron Ore and Manganese Block (FEEGRADE) and Teherai Iron Ore and Manganese Block respectively.
The State Government has auctioned 24 mineral blocks, of which 19 are in operational mode now.