What is Rashtriya Khanij Puraskar?

Rashtriya Khanij Puraskar 2022: The Union Ministry of Mines has set up a Rashtriya Khanij Puraskar, a National Award to promote mining across the country. 

The Rashtriya Khanij Puraskar has been set up to incentivize States that take initiative in exploration, auction and operationalisation of mineral blocks.

The  Rashtriya Khanij Puraskar will be awarded in three categories of minerals. The Rashtriya Khanij Puraskar for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 were conferred during the 6th National Conclave on Mines & Minerals held on July 12, 2022. A total of Rs 18 crore was awarded as prize money to different States.

Proud Moments: Gujarat has received the 1st Prize in ‘Rashtriya Khanij Vikas Puraskar’ for Auction of Minor Minerals from Hon'ble Home Minister Shri @AmitShah Ji. pic.twitter.com/rFdEnIck5W

— Jagdish Vishwakarma (@MLAJagdish) July 12, 2022

Rashtriya Khanij Puraskar Prize Money 

First Position- Rs 3 crore

Second Position- Rs 2 crore

Third Position- Rs 1 crore

Centre's incentives to States for Mineral Auction

The centre will  provide the following incentives to the states to further encourage the States to auction mineral blocks- 

• Rs 20 lakh to states where potential mineral blocks are available for auction.
• Rs 20 lakh to states for each successful auction of mineral block. 
• 50 percent reimbursement of Transaction Advisor fee for conducting auction, subject to a maximum of Rs 5 Lakh for each block that put up for auction but could not be successfully auctioned.
• The centre has released a total of Rs 21.02 crore to states in the above categories during the 6th National Conclave on Mines & Minerals.

Which is the most mineral-rich state of India?

Jharkhand is the most mineral-rich state of India with almost one sixty million ton of different kinds of minerals. The state is one of the leading producers of coal, gold, silver, bauxite, kyanite, felspar, iron ore, limestone, uranium, quartz and dolomite.