Bhubaneswar: Financial Offer (second round offer) for 11 mineral blocks in the state is scheduled to start from Saturday with the state government that enrolls iron ore Kasia and the Dolomite block for auction on the first day.
While 13 companies have bid for blocks of Kasia, sources in the State Steel Department and Mines, say that as many as seven have cleared the round of technical offers and can now take part in financial offers for blocks, spread over 194.19 hectares.
“Companies that meet the requirements in technical offers for other blocks will be informed the day before the auction is scheduled for the block concerned,” said a steel and mine department official.
The official said that the entire financial offer process will be completed in 10 days after the lease will be signed with the preferred bidder.
A total of 123 offers have been received by the state for 11 mineral deposits.
The main mining and metal industries such as Jindal Steel and Power Limited, Adani, JSW, Tata Steel, ArcelorMittal, Essel Mining and Industries Limited, Rungta Mines Ltd, MSPL, Vedanta and NMDC are in race for 11 blocks.
Blocks are ready to be contested in the auction process including Kasia, Nadidih (Bico), Nadidih (FeeGrade), Tehran, Pureibahal, Chandiposhi, Jumka, Dholtapahar, Netrabandha Pahar (West), Gandhalapada and Karlapat.
Even as a petition has been put forward in the Orissa High Court by Odisha-based mining contractors over the first bauxite deposit auction – the source said the auction is on schedule and there will be no delay except certain directions received from the court.
After the auction of these five blocks, the government will initiate the second round auction in October where as many as five mineral deposits will be auctioned.
This includes Pipalmunda, Garga, Uskalvagu, Blok Behera-Bhanjipali Dolomite and Graphite Block NaringsPanga.
The mining and metal sectors contribute significantly to the gathering of the overall revenue of the country.
Financial advantage for the country because the ongoing auction process will be known after the signing of the act of rent by the preferred bidder.