Hyderabad: The Ministry of Coal today launched the 10th tranche of commercial coal mine auctions, offering a total of 67 coal mines spread across eight states. Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, inaugurated the event in Hyderabad, alongside Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.
The 67 coal mines are located in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, and Telangana. They include both fully and partially explored mines, as well as three coking coal mines. To enhance the attractiveness of these mines, those falling under protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and other sensitive zones have been excluded. Additionally, the boundaries of certain mines with dense habitation, high green cover, or critical infrastructure have been revised.
During his address, Union Minister Reddy highlighted coal’s critical role as the lifeline for all industries and its significant contribution to achieving a $5 trillion economy. He called for coal entrepreneurs to collaborate towards national development and align with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of making India Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) in coal. Reddy emphasized the need to enhance domestic coal production to reduce dependency on imports, noting that the revenue generated from auctioned coal blocks benefits the respective state governments.
Deputy Chief Minister Vikramarka commended the Ministry of Coal for its efforts to make the country self-sufficient in coal, significantly reducing foreign imports. He noted that nearly 1 billion tonnes of coal were produced in the last financial year, meeting the nation’s energy needs.
Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Satish Chandra Dubey, assured support to coal block allocatees by improving the ease of doing business. He highlighted the importance of the coal mining sector in making India self-reliant in coal and stated that feedback from industry players is being considered to enhance the sector’s attractiveness.
In his keynote address, Amrit Lal Meena, Secretary of the Ministry of Coal, emphasized the need to increase coal production to meet rising energy demands while ensuring worker safety and adhering to global best practices. He also stressed maintaining high standards of transparency and stringent environmental sustainability measures to mitigate the impact of coal mining on the ecosystem. Meena called for robust state-level support to streamline operations and attract investments.
Additional Secretary and Nominated Authority, M Nagaraju, underscored the importance of exploring more coal blocks to meet the growing demand. He stressed the need for private investment and expertise to ensure a steady coal supply to various industries, contributing to higher production targets.
The sale of tender documents begins today, June 21, 2024. Details of the mines, auction terms, timelines, and more can be accessed on the MSTC auction platform and the Ministry of Coal’s website. The auction will be conducted online through a transparent two-stage process based on Percentage Revenue Share.
