"Auction preparedness of blocks for 2017-18 (is) already under preparation by the states," according to the agenda for the Coordination-cum-Empowered Committee meeting on Mineral Development and Regulation to be held tomorrow.
Besides, timelines associated with the pipeline of blocks available for auction are likely to be confirmed at the meeting.
"It is required to expedite action to put the mineral blocks, of all the lapsed applications...On auction expeditiously... There are about 231 of these blocks available (with advance stage preparation for mining) which could not be executed for putting up on auction by the dtates," it said.
Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are some of the other states where mineral blocks to be auctioned are located.
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The Mines Ministry has already facilitated the auction process extending support from its offices - IBM & GSI and various PSU's such as MSTC, MECON, MECL and SBICAP.
"The State Governments may give any further handholding requirements for auction of these mineral blocks of lapsed leases," it said.
The status of collection of the money accrued in the DMF funds by the state government and its utilisation would be discussed during the meeting.
Till now around 21 mineral blocks have gone under the hammer.
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