Monthly action plan for auction of mining blocks in state soon

A monthly action plan will be made for the auction of major and minor mineral blocks in the upcoming financial year. The director of mines and geology department Bhagwati Prasad Kalal directed the field officials to prepare a roadmap for mineral exploration and delineation, and send the proposals for auction of mineral blocks every month. He said that to effectively stop illegal mining, the auction of blocks in gap and mining areas will have to be expedited.

Emphasising on continuing the spirit of the statewide joint campaign against illegal mining activities that ran from January 15-31, he said that the officials were asked to continue surprise inspections at periodic intervals so that activities of the mining mafia are curbed.

He told them to have better coordination between the mining wing and geology wing of the department to promote mineral exploration and mining work and make joint efforts to increase industrial development, investment, employment and revenue of the state government.

Rajasthan has diverse and abundant mineral resources. Discussing the efforts of mining mafia to thwart the auction of mineral blocks, he said that to ensure e-auction of mineral blocks are successful, emphasis will also have to be laid on wide publicity.

Kalal directed the officials to recover the dues of the mining sector on a war footing and said that no laxity will be tolerated in the recovery efforts. He said that if strict as well as unpleasant action has to be taken to recover the government money, there should be no laxity in it.

Discussing the complaints of illegal mining taking place in the gap area between the leases, he said that he was asked to prepare the blocks of the gap area and prepare for the auction.

In the inter- departmental meeting organised under the chairmanship of the district collector, the director discussed in detail the illegal mining areas and mutual cooperation and coordination for action against them so that action can be taken with mutual coordination.

He gave instructions to complete the necessary departmental work within the stipulated time.