Mines Ministry awards India's first offshore mineral block, a construction sand block, to JNPA for Vadhavan Port
Union Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis handed over a Letter of Intent for an offshore construction sand block to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority in Mumbai on 28 February 2025, the first allocation of an offshore mineral block in India.
Summary
Union Minister of Mines and Coal G. Kishan Reddy and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis handed over a Letter of Intent for a composite licence for an offshore construction sand block to the Chairman of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) in Mumbai on 28 February 2025. It is the first time a mineral block has been allocated for exploration and production in India's offshore areas. The block lies off the Daman coast, about 50 km from the Vadhavan Port site, at depths of 20–25 m, and will supply about 200 million cubic metres of sand for reclamation of the greenfield Vadhavan Port in Palghar. Vadhavan Port is being built at ₹76,220 crore with a capacity of 298 MMTPA. The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 was amended in August 2023.
Key facts
- Date
- 28 February 2025, Mumbai
- Allottee
- Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA)
- First
- First offshore mineral block allocated in India
- Use
- ~200 million m³ sand for Vadhavan Port reclamation
- Location
- Off Daman coast, ~50 km from Vadhavan, 20–25 m depth
- Law
- OAMDR Act, 2002, amended Aug 2023
Practice MCQs 2 questions
India's first offshore mineral block, a construction sand block for which a Letter of Intent was handed over on 28 February 2025, was allotted to which entity?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority
The LoI for the offshore construction sand block was handed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA).
The sand from the offshore block allotted on 28 February 2025 will be used for reclamation at which greenfield port?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Vadhavan, Palghar
About 200 million cubic metres of sand from the block off the Daman coast will be used to reclaim land for the greenfield Vadhavan Port in Palghar, Maharashtra.