Bihar govt processes auction for iron ore mines worth INR 200 bn

18 Jan 2023 CW Team

Glauconite, a major potassium source in fertilisers, helps to increase soil fertility while iron ore is a crucial component of steel production. Prior to the establishment of Jharkhand in 2000, there was a misconception that Bihar had lost its mineral richness, she added. In reality, Bihar possesses enough mineral resources to expand its economy. The Bihar government has started a procedure to authorise mining activities for the state's mineral deposits for the first time since the establishment of Jharkhand. Additionally, she added, the state government has chosen to modify its industrial promotion strategy in order to include clauses that will promote private investment in the mining industry.

In a recent meeting presided over by the state chief secretary, it was decided to make the necessary revisions to the Bihar Industrial Promotion Policy to encourage private participation in the mining sector, similar to what the governments of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand have done. In the Pipradih and Chutia-Nauhatta blocks of Rohtas district, the state government has set aside two glauconite mines valued INR 140.48 billion for auction. Additionally, she added, the Mines and Geology Department has decided to permit mining operations in the INR 60 billion worth of iron ore resources in Jamui.

According to Bamhrah, the SBI CAPS would determine the details of the mineral auction, including block demarcation and evaluation, the tendering process, the determination of the reserve price, and eligibility requirements. She noted that the state has seven blocks of rare minerals available for the auction.

According to an official, the Bihar government has started the process of auctioning glauconite and iron ore reserves worth INR 200 billion in the districts of Rohtas and Jamui and will engage SBI Capital Markets to create a report for the process. In order to start the auction process, the government recently met with a number of interested parties, according to Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Mines Commissioner Harjot Kaur Bamhrah. According to her, the state government will soon issue an order appointing SBI Capital Markets as the transaction advisor and asking them to recommend the terms and conditions on which the auctions should be held. Glauconite, a major potassium source in fertilisers, helps to increase soil fertility while iron ore is a crucial component of steel production. Prior to the establishment of Jharkhand in 2000, there was a misconception that Bihar had lost its mineral richness, she added. In reality, Bihar possesses enough mineral resources to expand its economy. The Bihar government has started a procedure to authorise mining activities for the state's mineral deposits for the first time since the establishment of Jharkhand. Additionally, she added, the state government has chosen to modify its industrial promotion strategy in order to include clauses that will promote private investment in the mining industry. In a recent meeting presided over by the state chief secretary, it was decided to make the necessary revisions to the Bihar Industrial Promotion Policy to encourage private participation in the mining sector, similar to what the governments of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand have done. In the Pipradih and Chutia-Nauhatta blocks of Rohtas district, the state government has set aside two glauconite mines valued INR 140.48 billion for auction. Additionally, she added, the Mines and Geology Department has decided to permit mining operations in the INR 60 billion worth of iron ore resources in Jamui. According to Bamhrah, the SBI CAPS would determine the details of the mineral auction, including block demarcation and evaluation, the tendering process, the determination of the reserve price, and eligibility requirements. She noted that the state has seven blocks of rare minerals available for the auction.

Infrastructure Urban

17 Sep 2025

DCPC Prepares for Special Campaign 5.0 with Focus on E-Waste

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, is gearing up for Special Campaign 5.0, to be held from 2nd to 31st October 2025. The initiative will focus on e-waste disposal as per MoEFCC’s E-Waste Management Rules 2022, space optimisation, and enhancing workplace efficiency across field offices.Special Campaign 4.0, conducted between October 2023 and October 2024, delivered notable results in record management, grievance redressal, scrap disposal, and cleanliness drives.Key outcomes of Special Campaign 4.0Records management: 2,443 physical fil..

Real Estate

17 Sep 2025

BlackRock India Leases 1.4 Lakh Sq Ft in Bengaluru

BlackRock Services India, the domestic arm of global asset manager BlackRock, has leased 1.4 lakh sq ft of office space at IndiQube Symphony in Bengaluru, according to Propstack data. The 10-year deal is valued at around Rs 4.10 billion.The lease, among the largest transactions in India’s co-working sector, highlights the growing preference of global institutions for flexible office providers. The agreement, commencing October 1, 2025, covers ground plus five floors in KNG Tower 1 at Ashoknagar, MG Road — one of Bengaluru’s prime commercial hubs.As per the lease document, BlackRock will ..

Infrastructure Transport

17 Sep 2025

L&T Bags Rs 25–50 Bn Order for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Track Works

Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Transportation Infrastructure business has secured an order valued between Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 billion from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor.The contract, Package T1, involves the design, supply, construction, testing, and commissioning of 156 route km of high-speed ballastless track on a Design-Build Lump Sum Price basis. The stretch runs from Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex to Zaroli village in Gujarat and includes 21 km of underground track and 135 km of elevated viaduct.Se..