JSPL, NTPC, Vedanta among 59 firms that submitted bids for 36 coal blocks

The government on Tuesday said that 59 companies, including JSPL, NTPC and Vedanta, have submitted bids for 36 coal blocks that were put up for sale under the commercial mines auction.

A total of 96 bids were submitted for the coal blocks.

"A total of 96 bids were received under two tranches of commercial coal mine auctions," the coal ministry said in a statement.

This is the highest ever bids received since the launch of commercial coal mines auction in the year 2020, the ministry said, adding, a "total of six public sector companies had submitted the bids in the ongoing round of commercial coal mines' auction as well".

"Under sixth tranche of auctions, a total of 86 bids both online and offline were received against 32 coal mines and three bids were received only offline but not online, and two or more bids have been received for 25 coal mines i.e. 79 bids (both online and offline) against 25 coal mines, and 7 coal mines have received single bids (both online and offline)," the minister said.

Of these 32 coal mines, 10 are partially explored blocks whereas 22 are fully explored mines.

Ambuja Cements, Jindal Power, JSW Steel, Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd, JSW Cement, TANGEDCO and Damodar Valley Corporation are some of the other companies that have submitted their bids.

The auction process of 141 coal, lignite mines for sale of coal was launched by the coal ministry in November, 2022.

The last date for submission of technical bid for all the mines was January 30.

As part of the auction process, technical bids comprising online and offline bid documents were opened in the presence of the bidders.

"Under second attempt of fifth tranche, a total of 8 coal mines were put up for auction and 10 bids have been received against four coal mines where two or more bids have been received for two coal mines and single bids have been received for two coal mines," it said.

"The bids will be evaluated by a multi-disciplinary technical evaluation committee and technically qualified bidders would be shortlisted for participation in the electronic auction, to be conducted on MSTC portal," the minister said.