Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Vedanta gets composite licence for Punnam manganese block in Srikakulam
A big company called Vedanta got permission from the Andhra Pradesh government to look for manganese in a place called Punnam.
Manganese is a metal that is used to make things like steel.
The land is quite big, about 152 hectares, and most of it belongs to private families and farmers.
These landowners are called pattadars, and their land is called patta land.
The company cannot start digging or drilling on their land unless it asks them first and they say yes.
If the owners agree, the company must also pay them money, called compensation, as the law says.
Vedanta won the right to explore this land at an online auction in September 2025.
The government gave the permission, but the company must respect the rights of the landowners while it searches for the metal.
The Andhra Pradesh government granted Vedanta Limited a composite licence for the 152-hectare Punnam manganese block in Srikakulam district.
Vedanta won the block through an e-auction on September 16, 2025, with a bid of 20.10 per cent of the value of mineral dispatched.
Of the 152-hectare block, 12.08 hectares is government land while 139.91 hectares is private patta land.
The licence is conditional on Vedanta obtaining consent from private landowners before entering or commencing prospecting on their land.
Vedanta has undertaken to explore private patta land only with mutual consent of landowners and after paying compensation as prescribed by law.
- Who
- Vedanta Limited, the Andhra Pradesh state government's directorate of mines and geology, and private landowners (pattadars) of G Sigadam mandal
- What
- Grant of a composite licence to Vedanta for geological prospecting of the 152-hectare Punnam manganese block
- When
- The e-auction was held on September 16, 2025; Vedanta submitted its final Scheme of Prospecting on January 28, and the composite licence was subsequently granted
- Where
- Punnam manganese block, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India
- Why
- To enable manganese exploration, as Vedanta emerged as the preferred bidder with a 20.10 per cent bid of the value of mineral dispatched from the block
- Company
- Vedanta Limited
- Mineral
- Manganese
- Block size
- 152 hectares (375.44 acres)
- Location
- Punnam block, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh
- Winning bid
- 20.10 per cent of the value of mineral dispatched
- E-auction date
- September 16, 2025
- Private patta land
- 139.91 hectares (345.58 acres)
- Government land
- 12.08 hectares (29.86 acres)
- Licence condition
- Consent of private landowners before prospecting on patta lands