Chhattisgarh State PCS

• 03 Apr 2023

Successful allotment of Graphite Block in Chhattisgarh through E-Auction

Why in News?

According to the information provided by the Chhattisgarh Public Relations Department on 31 March 2023, the Kenapara graphite block located in the Balrampur district was successfully allotted as a composite license through e-auction by the Chhattisgarh Mineral Resources Department. The said block was explored by GSI at the G-4 level.

Key Points

• The highest bid (final price offer) of 111.00 per cent was placed by the M/s Maa Kudargarhi Steels Pvt. Ltd. for allotment in the form of composite license through e-auction of Kenapara Graphite Block by Chhattisgarh Mineral Resources Department
• A total of 670 bids were placed in the e-auction conducted on 29 March 2023 in the MSTC portal under the direction of Director, Land and Mining Jayaprakash Maurya, in which the highest bid of 111.00 percent was placed by M/s Maa Kudargadi Steels Pvt. Ltd.
• It may be noted that for the first time, the e-auction of graphite blocks has been successfully done by the state. Prior to this, only Odisha and Madhya Pradesh allocated graphite blocks through e-auction in the country.
• Graphite is an important mineral for manufacturing refractories, batteries, lubricants, and crucibles. Presently it has major mines in Odisha and Jharkhand only.
• Joint Director and InCharge Auction Anurag Dewan said that allocation of mines through the e-auction method is a very important system for the purpose of transparency and revenue sharing to the state government.
• So far, a total of 28 mineral blocks of limestone, bauxite, iron ore, gold metal and nickel, chromium and PGE and graphite have been successfully allocated by the Chhattisgarh Mineral Department, which will generate royalty, DMF, environmental and financial resources in the coming years and In addition to the infrastructure cess, the state government will get an additional income of about 81 thousand crores.

CM launched Chhattisgarh's 1st Chhattisgarhi Digital Radio Station 'Radio Sangwari

Why in News?

On 31 March 2023, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched Chhattisgarh's first digital radio station 'Radio Sangwari' in a program organized at his residence office.

Key Points

• Apart from this, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel released the audio of the Chhattisgarhi song 'Kaka Zinda Hai' in the programme. Its creator is head constable Dilip Tamarkar.
• The Chief Minister said that through Radio Sangwari, it has been established to take Chhattisgarhi folk art, folk culture and song-music to the common people through digital radio stations.
• The art and culture of Chhattisgarh will be conveyed to the people of the whole world through the app, certainly it is a very commendable effort.
• Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that this platform can be a powerful medium to give new life to the vanishing cultural genres and art traditions of Chhattisgarh. The talents of new artists can also be easily brought to the world through this.
• There is no dearth of radio listeners even today. Many radio stations are still very popular today because of their innovations and fresh thinking. He expressed hope that the digital radio station being started by Radio Sangwari would also become such a popular medium.
• On this occasion, the founder of Radio Sangwari Rahul Sharma and co-founder Dr. Hemant Sirmour said that Radio Sangwari can be listened to comfortably even on 2G internet speed.