Jaipur: Rajasthan is preparing to become the first state in the country to auction major mineral blocks after securing all necessary pre-embedded permissions. The move is expected to accelerate mining operations, attract investment, and create new jobs.
 

The Department of Mines and Geology has completed key preparations to bring mineral blocks into operation. The Rajasthan State Mineral Exploration Trust (RSMET) has been designated as the project monitoring unit to coordinate approvals and facilitate e-auctions.
 

T. Ravikant, Principal Secretary of the Mines and Petroleum Department, said, “The department has already obtained the necessary permissions for selected major mineral blocks and is moving towards auctioning them. Currently, it takes two-and-a-half to three years to operationalise auctioned mines in most states, including Rajasthan. This delays investment, employment, and revenue generation. Pre-embeddedness will help overcome these delays.”
 

The Union Ministry of Mines recently amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, directing states to identify five mineral blocks each, secure all approvals beforehand, and conduct auctions to ensure faster operationalisation.
 

Pre-embeddedness involves completing permissions in advance, including environmental and forest clearances, revenue approvals for mining on grazing land, and other legal requirements. In Rajasthan, RSMET has already carried out geological surveys, demarcated blocks, and completed Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) mapping. Remaining approvals are currently in progress.
 

Once the auctions are held and letters of intent are issued, mining operations will be able to start without delay. Officials expect this approach to strengthen the mineral supply chain and contribute significantly to Rajasthan’s economic growth.

BI Bureau