Coal Blocks

With the Centre removing Tamil Nadu's delta regions from the coal blocks auctioning, State BJP chief K Annamalai on Saturday thanked the Union government for doing so on the 'request' of the party's state unit. However, both the ruling DMK and opposition AIADMK took credit for the Centre's announcement. Public Works, Highways and Minor Ports Minister E V Velu claimed the decision to keep out the three mines from auction was a "victory" to the consistent efforts of Chief Minister M K Stalin who exerted pressure on the Central government. "Immediately after the decision on the auction was made known, the Chief Minister exerted pressure on Prime Minister (Narendra Modi). Hence, it was withdrawn," Velu told reporters when his comment was sought to Union Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi's announcement earlier in the day to leave out the coal reserves in east of Sethiathope, Michaelpatti and Vadaseri from auctioning. When pointed out that the Union Minister ha

With the Centre removing Tamil Nadu's delta regions from the coal blocks auctioning, state BJP chief K Annamalai on Saturday thanked the former for doing so on the 'request' of the party's state unit. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who also holds the Coal and Mines portfolio had tweeted that the decision to exclude Tamil Nadu from the auctioning ambit was taken in the interest of the people of the state after Annamalai had flagged the matter with him. "@BJP4TamilNadu Pres.@annamalai_k rushed to call upon me in Bengaluru with request to exclude 3 Lignite mines from auctions in 7th tranche. In spirit of cooperative federalism & keeping in mind interest of people of TN, I have directed to exclude them from auction," Joshi had tweeted. A row had erupted over the inclusion of the state's fertile Cauvery delta regions for the coal block auctioning, with Chief Minister M K Stalin asserting in the state Assembly that his government will never allow coal mining in the delta region. "We ...

The ministry launched the auction of coal reserves for commercial mining in the sixth round and second attempt of fifth round on November 3, 2022

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

The government on Tuesday allocated three more coal mines under commercial mining to the successful bidders

Auction of as many as 132 coal mines will be conducted this month under the sixth tranche in states including Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal among others, according to MSTC CMD Surinder Kumar Gupta. MSTC, under the Ministry of Steel, conducts e-auction of various materials and minerals and mines. This will be the sixth tranche of auction under which a total of 141 blocks, including 132 coal and nine lignite mines will be put on the block, he told PTI. The CMD clarified that MSTC only conducts auctions as per the list of coal mines and relevant notifications provided by the Coal Ministry and suggested bidders to read all bid-related notifications. "MSTC is in no way involved in any policy making process... As provided by the Coal Ministry...a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order dated 27.2.2020... has been uploaded in the auction portal. All the bidders are suggested to check all the notifications uploaded in our portal including the NGT order," he said. There are 133

The Coal Ministry has identified four coking coal mines to be offered in subsequent rounds of auction for the private sector to further increase domestic raw coking coal supply, an official release said on Wednesday. The Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) also will finalise Geological Report (GR) for four to six new coking coal blocks in the coming months, he ministry said in a release. "In order to further step up coking coal production, the Ministry of Coal has identified four coking coal blocks and the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) also will finalize Geological Report (GR) for 4 to 6 new coking coal blocks in the coming months," it stated. These blocks may be offered in subsequent rounds of auction for private sector to further increase domestic raw coking coal supply. Coking coal is a key input in steel making and the country remains dependent on imports to meet 85 per cent of its coking coal needs. With these measures, domestic raw coking

With state-owned CIL not buying out of any coal blocks abroad at present, a Parliamentary panel on Thursday said the PSU can still pursue overseas acquisition of mines after detailed study and analysis of the blocks, especially low ash coking coal. The committee is of the view that this will not only reduce import of fossil-fuel but also open new avenues of mining abroad. "Considering the existing coal resources in the country, the committee would like the coal ministry/CIL to explore acquisition of coal blocks abroad. They would like to be apprised of any developments in this regard," the Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel in its report tabled in Parliament said. Coal India Ltd (CIL) had acquired prospecting licences for coal blocks in Mozambique in 2009 through its wholly-owned international subsidiary Coal India Africana Limitada. However, after carrying out detailed exploration, the geological report and mineability report, it was found that the quality of coal in the

The coal ministry on Friday said there is no special rule or scope of giving special treatment to any one state in allocation of coal blocks. The statement comes in the wake of media reports about Telangana industries and commerce minister K T Ramarao's allegation that a large number of lignite mines were allocated to Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) following the nomination method. "It has come to the notice of the ministry of coal about allegations of giving preferential treatment to one state government in allocation of coal blocks, which is false and not based on facts," the coal ministry said. "...the question of preferring one state as claimed is baseless and misleading," the statement said. The ministry further explained that two lignite blocks were allotted to GMDC in 2015 and similarly, three coal blocks were allotted to SCCL, a unit owned by the government of Telangana. Out of three coal mines allocated to SCCL, Pengaddppa and New Patrapara blocks have bee

Vedanta Ltd on Wednesday said that its arm Balco has won the bid for a coal block in Chhattisgarh. The company emerged as successful bidder for the mine during the fourth round of commercial coal mine auction conducted by the government. "The coal block is an optimal fit for Balco, given its logistical location," Vedanta said in a filing to BSE. Once operational, the mine will provide fuel security, enhance power availability, and further strengthen Balco's operations and performance. The block has estimated reserves of 900 million tonnes. Balco was incorporated in 1965 as the first public sector undertaking in the country. In 2001 the Centre disinvested 51 per cent shares of Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (BALCO) to Sterlite Industries Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited. The remaining 49 per cent is with the Centre.

Seven out of the total 16 coal blocks issued to state-owned power sector entities or PSUs are yet to start or have just started production, even more than seven years after their allotment

Officers should not be forced to make decisions with an eye to avoiding future prosecution rather than on efficient outcomes

Billionaire Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta expects to bring into operation two coal blocks in Odisha in this fiscal and is working out a plan to fast-track the operationalisation of another coal mine in the eastern state. Vedanta is focusing on the long-term security of coal especially when thermal power plants and the non-regulated sector have witnessed supply shortages in the current and the last year. "We intend to operationalise Jamkhani and Radhikapur (West) (coal blocks....," Vedanta said in its integrated report and annual accounts 2021-22. Vedanta Limited is one of the world's leading oil & gas and metals company with significant operations in oil & gas, zinc, lead, silver, copper, iron ore, steel, and aluminium & power across India, South Africa and Namibia. The company bagged the Jamkhani coal block in 2019 and the Radhikapur West coal block in 2020 in auctions. Jamkhani coal block is in proximity to the company's Jharsuguda aluminium smelter. It is one of the most ...

Rao asked Modi to intervene on the issue and direct the coal ministry to allocate the blocks to SCCL under Section 11 (A)

The government on Friday said it will begin next week the next round of auction process for 40 new blocks for the sale of coal

The Coal Ministry is planning to come up with a scheme to permit coal block allottees to surrender mines that they are not in a position to develop due to technical reasons

Frees up 177,000 tonnes coal from 26 stations

The Department of Steel and Mines of Odisha government granted the mining lease of Utkal-E coal block to National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) through a notification issued on April 12

The ministry said that it has invited comments from the state governments of coal-bearing states and stakeholders/general public on the said proposals

State-owned firm neither applied technical due diligence nor did techno-commercial study to assess viability before allotment of its two captive coal blocks, says report