Bhubaneswar, Dec 30 (IANS): The Odisha government has again issued Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for online auction of three mining blocks including two virgin blocks.

The Directorate of Mines has issued the notice for grant of mining lease for Teherai iron ore & manganese block, Behera-Banjipali limestone block and Naringapanga graphite block.

Out of the three mineral blocks, Behera-Banjipali and Naringapanga are virgin blocks while lease of Teherai has expired.

Interested and eligible bidders will have to register themselves on the website of MSTC Limited (https://www.mstcecommerce.com/auctionhome/mlcl/index.jsp).

As per the NIT, the interested bidder can purchase the tender documents after payment of a fee on the website of e-auction platform till February 2, 2022 while February 7, 2022 (3pm) is the deadline for submission of the bid. The tender fee for Teherai iron ore and manganese block is Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh each for other two blocks.

The bidders who had purchased the tender document for Teherai block in response to the Notice Inviting Tender dated July 7, 2021 and the tender documents for Behera-Banjipali & Naringapanga blocks in response to the NIT dated October 22, 2021, need not pay tender fee again to avail the document for that particular block, it said.

As the government has not received the required number of bidders in response to the NITs issued earlier, the three mineral blocks have been put for auction under second attempt, an official of the directorate said.

Further, the government has debarred Tarama Apartment Private Limited from participating in Teherai iron ore and manganese block auction process.