Union Mines Secretary Piyush Goyal has said that the mining sector will play a crucial role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He stated that the Central Government has introduced practical reforms, strict operational timelines, and penal provisions to ensure that auctioned mines begin operations without delay.
Addressing LOI holders at RIC on Thursday, alongside Principal Secretary (Mines) T. Ravikant, he emphasised that the faster an LOI holder operationalises a mine, the greater the benefit they will receive. Provisions for incentives have also been included in the new framework.
Rajasthan Poised to Become a Leading Revenue Generator in Mining
The Union Secretary appreciated Rajasthan’s progress in auctioning major mineral mines and initiating pre-embedded block auctions. He said the state is well on its way to becoming a leading contributor to mining revenue in the country.
He urged approval-granting agencies to adopt a more practical approach, and recommended that previously auctioned mines also be supported on the lines of pre-embedded blocks. He also cautioned LOI holders against unnecessary delays in completing formalities.
112 Major Mineral Blocks Already Auctioned in Rajasthan
Principal Secretary (Mines) T. Ravikant shared key updates:
112 major mineral blocks have been auctioned so far.
21 blocks have been successfully auctioned this year.
Auction process is currently underway for 26 blocks, including 8 pre-embedded blocks.
He added that future mining blocks will be prepared only after resolving issues related to pasture land, forest conversion, and other potential bottlenecks—ensuring that LOI holders do not face avoidable approval-related difficulties.
Dedicated Support & Strong Monitoring for LOI Holders
The state government has:
Simplified the mining approval process,
Introduced a new Mineral Policy and M-Sand Policy,
Set up a dedicated cell for guiding and supporting LOI holders.
Two workshops have been conducted, and continuous monitoring is being carried out to improve coordination between LOI holders and relevant agencies.
Senior Officials Present
The meeting was attended by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Mines; Deputy Secretary Ashish Saxena; PCCF P.K. Upadhyay; Member Secretary Vijay N; Mines Director Mahaveer Prasad Meena; Joint Secretary Arvind Saraswat; IBM’s Abhay Agarwal; senior officials from Revenue, IBM, ADG Alok Prakash Jain, and representatives of various LOI holders.
