Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Launched NGDR portal & Roadshow on Critical Minerals

Current Context: On 19th December 2023, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi launched the National Geoscience Data Repository Portal (NGDR) and conducted a roadshow on Critical & Strategic Minerals.

• The roadshow was held to ensure the success of the first tranche of auction of Critical and Strategic Minerals, which was launched on 29th November, 2023.
• A total of 20 critical & strategic mineral blocks will be auctioned in the 1st tranche, out of which 16 mineral blocks are put up for grant of Composite Licence and four mineral blocks for grant of Mining Lease.
• The minerals include Graphite, Glauconite, Lithium, REE, Molybdenum, Nickel, Potash etc.
• The blocks are spread across the States of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and UT – Jammu & Kashmir.

Question:

Q.1 Who launched the National Geoscience Data Repository Portal (NGDR) and conducted a roadshow on Critical & Strategic Minerals?
a. Narendra Modi
b. Pralhad Joshi
c. Amit Shah
d. Rajnath Singh