Government cancels auction for nine critical mineral blocks
The government has called off the sale of nine strategic and critical mineral blocks from its seventh auction round, citing a lack of qualified participants and weak interest from investors. These mineral sites are spread across Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan. This cancellation serves as a hurdle for India’s goals to lower import reliance, boost clean-tech production, and bolster energy security.