Jammu and Kashmir auctions first limestone mineral blocks

In a historic first for Jammu and Kashmir, two limestone mineral blocks in the Anantnag district have been successfully auctioned. The competitive bidding process was conducted by the Government of India’s Ministry of Mines under the central government’s mineral auction framework to ensure systematic resource management.

The two auctioned assets are located in south Kashmir. The first, the Koot–Kapran limestone block in Dooru Tehsil, covers 22.43 hectares with estimated reserves of 4.75 million tonnes. The second, the Wantrag limestone block, covers 5.36 hectares with estimated resources of 10.853 million tonnes.

The Ministry of Mines stated that the successful auction reflects a “transparent and competitive mineral auction process for the systematic development of mineral resources,” aimed at unlocking regional geological potential and expanding industrial foundations.