Raipur: The Ministry of Mines today organized a road show in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, to mark the 8th series of auctions of critical and strategic mineral blocks. The Honorable Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, was the chief guest, along with the Honorable Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey. Also present on the occasion were Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Tokhan Sahu, and CMDC Chairman, Shri Saurabh Singh, 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 emphasized the need to harness the state's mineral potential through increased investment, accelerated development of mineral resources, and improved coordination between the central and state governments. He assured stakeholders of the state government's commitment to facilitating investment and creating an enabling environment for sustainable mineral development.

Addressing the event, Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, underlined the strategic importance of critical and strategic minerals for India's economic development, industrial progress, clean energy transition, and emerging technologies. He emphasized the need to accelerate exploration and development of these resources and encourage greater participation by industry and investors. He said that strengthening domestic capabilities across the mineral value chain will play a key role in strengthening India's mineral security and advancing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Tokhan Sahu, highlighted Chhattisgarh's strong mining and industrial base and the state's potential to develop new mineral value chains. He stated that investment in critical minerals can foster new industrial growth centers, strengthen sustainable infrastructure, and create new opportunities for local communities. He added that the state's infrastructure, skilled workforce, and institutional support provide a strong foundation for long-term investment.

CMDC Chairman Mr. Saurabh Singh urged investors to explore Chhattisgarh's vast mineral potential and highlighted the state's efforts towards faster operations, transparent mining processes, and technology-based mineral monitoring. He also mentioned various initiatives, including the Tin Portal to benefit tribal tin collectors in a transparent manner and the exploration of critical minerals like columbite from tin-bearing resources.

Shri Keshav Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, said that policy reforms, transparent auctions and faster operations have strengthened India's critical mineral ecosystem and 56 out of 88 critical and strategic mineral blocks offered so far have been successfully auctioned. He informed that the 8th tranche comprises 20 blocks spread across nine states, comprising 17 composite licenses and 3 mining lease blocks, and includes minerals such as graphite, rare earth elements, rare metals, vanadium, gallium, titanium, molybdenum, tungsten, potash, phosphorite and glauconite, of which five blocks are located in Chhattisgarh.

In his address, Shri Sandeep Kadam, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Mines, underlined the importance of critical minerals for India's economic growth, energy security, and strategic industries. He emphasized the need to move beyond mining and focus on processing, refining, and value addition, and to expedite the operationalization of auctioned blocks. He also called for strong collaboration between the Centre, states, and industry to build a robust domestic supply chain and a self-reliant critical minerals ecosystem.

The technical session began with a presentation by Mr. Pankaj Garg, Director General, NMEDT, on the NMEDT Scheme for Partial Reimbursement of Exploration Expenditure for Composite License Holders. Potential bidders were then provided with detailed information about the mineral blocks offered for auction under the 8th series and the auction process. Mr. Shrikant Sharma, HOD (Exploration), MECL, explained the mineral blocks and their prospects, Mr. Pratin Sharma, Assistant Vice President, SBICAPS, explained the mineral auction process and tender documents, and Mr. Pushkar Hajela, Assistant Manager, MSTC, explained the e-auction process.

The session concluded with interaction with potential bidders, resolving their queries and providing clarifications on the auction process and related aspects. The road show reflects the Government's continued commitment to accelerate mineral exploration, promote investment and private sector participation and strengthen India's critical mineral supply chain, furthering the vision of a self-reliant and mineral-secure India.

Following the roadshow, a review meeting was held with mineral block allottees and preferred bidders, chaired by Shri Keshav Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, with the objective of expediting the operationalization of the allocated blocks. Officials from 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 necessary support, further reinforcing the shared commitment to accelerated project implementation, increase domestic mineral production, and strengthen India's mineral supply chain.