Gati Shakti to help speed up auction of critical minerals

livemint.com:

Mint’s queries. “It will help in expediting the process of land demarcation and classification, and preparing blocks for auctions faster, as searching offline records takes considerable time." Earlier, the 2015 mineral auction regulations mandated identification and demarcation of the proposed mineral blocks using total station and differential global positioning system (DGPS) technology, before the mining leases were granted. The demarcated areas were then categorized into forest land, state-owned land, and non-state-owned land.

This information on demarcation and classification was provided in tender documents for the bidders’ reference. However, considering that this process was conducted offline, it often led to delays in the auctions of mines. By using the online records from states and PM Gati Shakti initiative, the demarcation process is expected to become simpler as well as more efficient, reducing the time required to initiate the auctions, said experts.

PM Gati Shakti seeks to bring all relevant ministries and departments of the central government together, and create a digital platform for comprehensive and integrated project planning. This includes dynamic mapping of all infrastructure projects with real-time updates. The data from all individual ministries will be integrated into a single platform, facilitating planning, review, and monitoring.