Bhubaneswar: As per the direction of the Supreme Court, the State Government has added a new clause for bidders to participate in the auction of mineral blocks.
As per an order of Steel and Mines (S&M) Department(DoSM), the clause….“No tender shall be entertained at the behest of an entity which out-standings are due or companies in which the same promoters are interested,” will be added in the tender document for auction of mineral blocks in future.
All the interested bidders will have to meet the above condition to participate in the future mining auctions in the State.
“The Government has been pleased to……include the above text in the tender document as one of the conditions for eligibility of participation in the future auction of mineral blocks in the State,” DoS&M Additional Secretary Soudamini Sethi said in a recent letter to the Director of Mines and Geology.
The Directorate of Mines and Geology has circulated the decision of the Department to all field-level functionaries for necessary action.
In its order on August 14 this year, the Supreme Court had directed the State Government to ensure that the terms and conditions of the tender clarify that no tender would be entertained at the behest of an entity against which out-standings are due or companies in which the same promoters are interested.
The SC has also directed the State that expeditious measures should be taken to pursue the recovery proceedings in accordance with law and necessary steps be taken by attaching the assets of the defaulting entities.
The State had informed the court that an amount of Rs 2,622 crores, excluding interest, is due and outstanding on account of illegal mining, out of which an amount of Rs 2,215 crores is recoverable from five lessees.
The leases of the defaulters have either expired or, as the case may be, have been terminated and they are not operating any lease or allowed to participate in tenders.
Further, Proceedings for termination of the leases are pending against some of the defaulters who shall have small amounts comparatively due and out-standings, the Government had informed the SC.