In Nagpur and Bhandara districts, the Maharashtra government granted Prospecting Licence (PL) to MOIL for 11 blocks spread over 597 hectare area.

While six blocks are located in Ramtek, Saoner and Mouda tehsils of Nagpur district, five blocks are located in neighbouring Tumsar tehsil of Bhandara district.

With this, the manganese ore producer will get 11 new blocks, including three big blocks adjacent to its present ones near Gumgaon, Satak and Kandri area.

The state-run firm said the license would go a long way in raising the production of precious manganese ore in the country in coming years.

For the first time since its inception in 1962, the firm is getting this new area and this would enable increased production of manganese ore and also help steel industry to a great extent, a top official of the firm reportedly said in a media.

At present, MOIL's existing leasehold area in Maharashtra is spread over an area of 696 hectare and with the addition of new allotment, the total area will be 1,293 hectares in Maharashtra.

Thus, the total leasehold area of MOIL (including its major facilities in Balaghat and other areas of Madhya Pradesh) will increase from 1,798.92 hectare to 2,395.92 hectare, an increase of 33.18 per cent.