The Central Government has initiated the first-ever auction of 13 offshore mineral blocks under the Offshore Areas Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, offering composite licences (exploration-cum-production). The auction was launched on November 28, 2024, and includes: 

Before notification, the Ministry of Mines consulted key stakeholders including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the Department of Fisheries, securing their no objection as per the Offshore Areas Operating Right Rules, 2024. 

To safeguard marine ecosystems, offshore blocks were carefully demarcated to exclude 130 Marine Protected Areas and 106 identified Important Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas (ICMBAs). 

Key regulatory provisions under the new Offshore Areas Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2024 and Offshore Areas Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2024 mandate that production can only begin after all environmental and legal clearances are secured, and a detailed production plan—including an environmental management plan—is in place.

 

Additionally, the Offshore Areas Mineral Trust has been set up as a non-profit body (notified on August 9, 2024), with coastal states represented in its governance. Trust funds will be used for ecological research, environmental mitigation, disaster relief, and welfare of people impacted by offshore operations. 

This update was shared by Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. 

(PIB)