Jharkhand govt's 'sluggish' approach hits mineral block auction: LoP Babulal Marandi

Ranchi, Jul 16 (PTI) Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, on Thursday alleged that the "sluggish" approach of the state government has adversely affected mineral block auctions, leading to increased unemployment and migration. He claimed that 434 mineral blocks have been auctioned off across the country since 2019-20, of which only three are in Jharkhand. "Since 2019-20, 434 mineral blocks have been auctioned off across the country. Of these blocks, 45 are in Odisha, 41 are in Chhattisgarh, and only three are in Jharkhand. Such low numbers reflect administrative failure, which has adversely affected production, employment, and revenue," the senior BJP leader alleged while addressing reporters here. He said the impact is clearly visible on production. "Between 2018-19 and 2024-25, Odisha's iron ore production increased from 120 million tonnes to 180 million tonnes, while Jharkhand's production remained stagnant at 23 million tonnes. This reflects the failure of mining management and policies," he added. Marandi claimed that Jharkhand was also lagging in generating revenue. "Despite having 40 per cent of the country's mineral resources, the state's mining revenue in 2025-26 was Rs 22,000 crore, whereas Odisha earned Rs 46,000 crore with only 17 per cent of the resources," he said. "Rich in mineral resources, Jharkhand has fallen short of its potential due to policy failures, administrative lethargy, and a lack of transparency," he alleged. The former chief minister said he recently visited Saranda in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, and claimed that the situation there is concerning. "Several mines have remained closed for years as their leases were neither renewed nor re-auctioned following their expiration. This has directly impacted employment, led to increased migration among the youth, and caused the local economy to stagnate," Marandi said. He alleged a lack of transparency regarding the utilisation of DMFT funds. "Between 2016 and 2026, around Rs 3,700 crore was accumulated in West Singhbhum, yet no annual reports, budgets, or project details have been made public. The website was last updated in 2018, leaving local residents deprived of their rights," he claimed. PTI SAN SAN ACD