Jaipur: Rajasthan has begun implementing its annual mineral auction action plan with the successful auction of nine major limestone blocks in April, a move expected to strengthen the state’s mining revenue and cement industry supply chain.The limestone blocks, spread across 1,218.43 hectares in Nagaur, Jaisalmer and Chittorgarh districts, are estimated to hold nearly 920 million tonnes of reserves.An official said, limestone is a key raw material used in cement manufacturing and several industrial processes and the strong reserve base attracted competitive bidding with expectations of good revenue realisation for the state govt.Reviewing the department’s progress at a meeting in the Secretariat Thursday, additional chief secretary (Mines and Petroleum) Aparna Arora said, “The state is likely to receive nearly Rs 60 crore as the first instalment of upfront payment from the auctions, while the total upfront payment through all three instalments is expected to reach around Rs 300 crore.”Officials estimated that mining operations from these blocks could generate more than Rs 24,000 crore in revenue for the state over the next 50 years through royalty, taxes and other charges.Arora said the department is focusing on strict implementation of the annual action plan within fixed timelines.An official said directions were issued to prepare a structured execution plan to ensure timely completion of auction related processes and mining operations. “Tenders for the auction of five more major mineral blocks will also be issued in May.”
