G. Kishan Reddy Launched 2nd Tranche of Exploration Licence Blocks

Union Minister for Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy today launched the 2nd tranche of auction of Exploration Licence (EL) blocks in New Delhi, marking another significant step towards strengthening India’s mineral exploration ecosystem.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister underscored the need to reduce India’s dependence on mineral imports by accelerating domestic exploration and encouraging greater participation of the private sector alongside government agencies. He reiterated that the Government is committed to building a structured, transparent and technology-driven exploration framework to unlock the country’s untapped mineral potential.

During the event, the Union Minister also launched the Geological Survey of India’s (GSI) Next-Generation (NG) Portal — a cloud-enabled platform integrating data acquisition, analysis, visualization and dissemination. Equipped with AI/ML-based tools and interoperable with the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR), the portal is expected to significantly enhance transparency, efficiency and data-driven decision-making in mineral exploration. The Launch and Roadshow of Tranche-II was graced by Shri Piyush Goyal, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, and Shri Sanjay Lohia, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Mines(updated on 12th feb 2026)