Lok Sabha Question No. 465 (STARRED), answered on 2026-03-25
Subject: Dedicated Rare Earth Corridors
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Krishna Prasad Tenneti, Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 465

ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026

## DEDICATED RARE EARTH CORRIDORS

## *465. SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR

## SHRI KRISHNA PRASAD TENNETI

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government has prepared a detailed plan for setting up Dedicated Rare Earth Corridors  in  the  country  especially  in  Rajasthan  and  Jharkhand  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether the recently launched Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Manufacturing Scheme will help in establishing India as a global exporter of high-end magnets for the defence and aerospace sectors;
- (c) the achievements made so far by the Geological Survey of India in the field of enhancing rare earth ore resources;
- (d) whether the Government has successfully integrated the facilities of IREL (India) Limited along with the new Rare Earth Corridor and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  develop  rare-earth  exploration,  processing  and manufacturing infrastructure in Odisha, particularly in Keonjhar Lok Sabha Constituency and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## Government of India Department of Atomic Energy

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (E) IN RESPECT OF LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *465  FOR  REPLY  ON  25.03.2026 REGARDING  DEDICATED  RARE  EARTH  CORRIDORS  ASKED  BY  SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR, SHRI KRISHNA PRASAD TENNETI.

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(a) The Government has announced establishment of rare earths corridor in the union budget 2026-27 covering the state of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

- (b)  Yes.  The  Union  Cabinet  approved  the  scheme  to  promote  manufacturing  of  Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) on 26 th  November, 2025 and the same was notified on 15 th December, 2025. This initiative aims to establish 6,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) of integrated REPM manufacturing in India, thereby enhancing self-reliance and positioning India as a key player in the global REPM market.  The Scheme seeks to establish end-to-end REPM manufacturing capabilities within the country, from processing rare earth oxides, to producing metals and alloys, and finally manufacturing finished magnets.
- (c) As on outcome of exploration activities for Rare Earth Elements, Geological Survey of India (GSI) has augmented cumulative REE ore resources of 763 million tonnes across the country, evaluated at different cut-off values and average grades since Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015 (Annexure-I).
- (d) IREL operates a Rare Earths Extraction Plant in Odisha and a Rare Earth refining Plant at Aluva in Kerala both of which align with the Corridor initiative. Government of India aims to integrate IREL's facilities with the new corridors to expand domestic rare earth capacity, foster advanced  manufacturing  and  accelerate  India's  transition  towards  self-reliance  and  clean energy.
- (e) Yes. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of  Department  of  Atomic  Energy  (DAE),  is  carrying  out  integrated  and  multi-disciplinary exploration  to  identify  and  augment  REE  resources  in  beach  sand  minerals  and  hard  rock terrains in potential geological domains of the country, including Odisha. AMD is presently carrying out exploration to identify additional resources of monazite (a mineral of REE and thorium) in the beach sand deposits along coastal tracts of the country, including Puri district, Odisha.  However,  AMD,  is  not  carrying  out  exploration  for  REE  in  Keonjhar  Lok  Sabha Constituency, Odisha.

In  addition,  GSI  over  the  last  four  years  (2021-22  to  2024-25),  has  carried  out  17  mineral exploration projects for Rare Earth Elements- Rare Metals (REE-RM), in the state of Odisha. In 2025-26, GSI has taken up 3 mineral exploration projects in Nayagarh and Balangir districts for  REE-RM, in Odisha (Annexure-II). GSI has been engaged in exploration activities for various  mineral  commodities  such  as  manganese,  gold,  iron,  nickel  etc.  in  Kendujhar (Keonjhar) district, Odisha, over the years. However, no exploration projects targeting REEs have been undertaken by GSI in the Keonjhar district.

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Annexure-I State-wise cumulative resource augmented by GSI for REE at various cut-off

## and grades since MMDR Amendment Act, 2015

Resource in Million Tonne

| Sl. No.   | State             | REE-RM   | Sl. No.   | State         |   REE-RM |
|-----------|-------------------|----------|-----------|---------------|----------|
| 1         | Assam             | 30.51    | 7         | Maharashtra   |   76.6   |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh | 2.15     | 8         | Rajasthan     |   83.59  |
| 3         | Bihar             | 81.03    | 9         | Uttar Pradesh |    0.342 |
| 4         | Gujarat           | 459.99   | 10        | Tamil Nadu    |    4.62  |
| 5         | Jharkhand         | 0.0092   | 11        | Telangana     |   10.85  |
| 6         | Karnataka         | 13.11    | 12        | West Bengal   |    0.68  |
| Total     | Total             | Total    | Total     | Total         |  763     |

|   Sl No. | FS Year   | State   | District             | Name of Mineral Block/ Area       | UNFC Stage   | Mineral Commodity           |
|----------|-----------|---------|----------------------|-----------------------------------|--------------|-----------------------------|
|        1 | 2021-22   | Odisha  | Nayagarh             | Khuntapada- Purushottampura       | G4           | REE, RM                     |
|        2 | 2021-22   | Odisha  | Boudh and Subarnapur | Damamunda- Bilasapur              | G4           | REE, RM                     |
|        3 | 2021-22   | Odisha  | Koraput              | Koraput                           | G4           | REE, RM                     |
|        4 | 2021-22   | Odisha  | Balangir             | Ampali- Badipura- Saintala        | G4           | Basemetal, graphite and REE |
|        5 | 2022-23   | Odisha  | Sundargarh           | Garjanjor                         | G3           | Phosphorite, REE            |
|        6 | 2022-23   | Odisha  | Boudh and Sonepur    | Gabjor                            | G4           | REE, RM                     |
|        7 | 2022-23   | Odisha  | Nayagarh             | Notara- Baulasahi                 | G4           | REE, RM                     |
|        8 | 2023-24   | Odisha  | Nayagarh             | Khuntapada- Arkhapal              | G3           | REE, RM                     |
|        9 | 2023-24   | Odisha  | Angul                | Debinagar                         | G4           | REE                         |
|       10 | 2023-24   | Odisha  | Ganjam               | Kumbharajholi- Borada             | G4           | REE, RM                     |
|       11 | 2024-25   | Odisha  | Nayagarh             | Koriekahania- Baulasahi- Badbhuin | G3           | REE, RM                     |
|       12 | 2024-25   | Odisha  | Nuapara              | Bhela-Babupalli- Udaybandh        | G4           | REE, RM, PGE                |
|       13 | 2024-25   | Odisha  | Jharsuguda           | Kholdipa- Ghicha mura             | G4           | REE, RM                     |
|       14 | 2024-25   | Odisha  | Boudh                | Palsagora- Pindapadar             | G4           | REE, RM                     |
|       15 | 2024-25   | Odisha  | Koraput              | Dammaparha- Mathili               | G4           | Tin, REE                    |
|       16 | 2024-25   | Odisha  | Angul                | Debinagar east                    | G4           | REE                         |
|       17 | 2024-25   | Odisha  | Nuapara              | Rajna- Mahulpadar                 | G4           | REE,RM,PGE                  |
|       18 | 2025-26   | Odisha  | Nayagarh             | Notara- Tentuliapalli-Ikiri       | G3           | REE, RM                     |
|       19 | 2025-26   | Odisha  | Nayagarh             | Sankhei- Tentuliapalli- Nachhipur | G3           | REE, RM                     |
|       20 | 2025-26   | Odisha  | Balangir             | Tepren-Shibatala                  | G4           | REE, RM                     |