The Ministry of Mines organised a Roadshow on the 8th Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, today. The programme was attended by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, as the Chief Guest, and Hon’ble Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey. Hon’ble Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Tokhan Sahu, and Shri Saurabh Singh, Chairman, CMDC, were also present, along with senior officials, industry representatives and other stakeholders.

Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai highlighted Chhattisgarh’s rich mineral resources and the State’s important role in India’s mining and industrial development. He emphasised the need to unlock the State’s mineral potential through greater investment, faster development of mineral resources and close coordination between the Centre and the State. He assured stakeholders of the State Government’s commitment to facilitating investment and creating a conducive environment for sustainable mineral development.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, Minister of State for Coal and Mines, highlighted the strategic importance of critical and strategic minerals for India’s economic growth, industrial development, clean energy transition and emerging technologies. He emphasised the need to accelerate exploration and development of these resources, while encouraging greater participation from industry and investors. He said that stronger domestic capabilities across the mineral value chain would play an important role in strengthening India’s mineral security and advancing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat

Shri Tokhan Sahu, Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs, highlighted Chhattisgarh’s strong mining and industrial base and its potential to develop new mineral value chains. He emphasised that investments in critical minerals can drive new industrial growth centres, strengthen sustainable infrastructure and create opportunities for local communities. He noted that the State’s infrastructure, skilled workforce and institutional support provide a strong foundation for long-term investment.

Shri Saurabh Singh, Chairman, CMDC, invited investors to explore Chhattisgarh’s vast mineral potential and highlighted the State’s focus on faster operationalisation, transparent mining practices and technology-driven mineral monitoring. He also highlighted initiatives such as the TIN Portal for transparent benefit disbursement to tribal tin collectors and exploration of critical minerals such as Columbite.

Shri Keshav Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, said policy reforms, transparent auctions and faster operationalisation had strengthened India’s critical mineral ecosystem, with 56 of the 88 Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks offered so far successfully auctioned. He said the 8th Tranche comprises 20 blocks, 17 Composite Licence and 3 Mining Lease, across nine States, covering Graphite, Rare Earth Elements, Rare Metals, Vanadium, Gallium, Titanium, Molybdenum, Tungsten, Potash, Phosphorite and Glauconite, of which five are in Chhattisgarh.

Shri Sandeep Kadam, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Mines, in his address, highlighted the importance of critical minerals for India’s economic growth, energy security and strategic industries. He stressed the need to move beyond mining towards processing, refining and value addition, along with faster operationalisation of auctioned blocks. He also called for stronger collaboration among the Centre, States and industry to build resilient domestic supply chains and a self-reliant critical mineral ecosystem.

The technical session opened with a presentation by Shri Pankaj Garg, DG, NMEDT, on the NMEDT Scheme for Partial Reimbursement of Exploration Expenses for Composite Licence Holders. Prospective bidders were then briefed in detail on the mineral blocks offered under the 8th Tranche and the auction framework by Shri Shrikant Sharma, HoD (Exploration), MECL, on the blocks and their potential; Shri Pratin Sharma, Assistant Vice President, SBICAPS, on the mineral auction process and tender document; and Shri Pushkar Hajela, Assistant Manager, MSTC, on the e-auction process. The session concluded with an interaction with prospective bidders, addressing their queries and providing clarifications on the auction process and related aspects.

The Roadshow reflects the Government’s continued commitment to accelerating mineral exploration, promoting investment and private-sector participation, and strengthen India’s critical mineral supply chains towards the vision of a self-reliant and mineral-secure India.

Following the Roadshow, a review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Shri Keshav Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, with mineral block allottees and preferred bidders to accelerate the early operationalisation of allocated blocks. Officials of the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, and the Government of Chhattisgarh reviewed the progress of the blocks, discussed key challenges and provided guidance for their timely resolution. The meeting also provided a platform for allottees to raise implementation-related issues and seek appropriate support, reinforcing the shared commitment towards faster project execution, increased domestic mineral production and strengthen India’s mineral supply chain.

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PKMV

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