Coal ministry reviews progress of 71 auctioned mines to boost domestic production

New Delhi [India], September 12 (ANI): The Coal Ministry held a meeting on Wednesday to assess the progress of coal mines that have been auctioned across various tranches and are at different stages of completion.

According to the Ministry of Coal, chaired by Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary and Nominated Authority of the Ministry, the review highlighted the government’s dedication to boosting domestic coal production. The Additional Secretary urged mine allottees to expedite the process of operationalizing coal blocks that are nearing completion.

A total of 71 coal blocks, spread across nine states–Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and West Bengal–are currently in various stages of securing regulatory approvals.

This review reflects the Ministry’s proactive efforts to overcome challenges in the operationalization of these coal blocks to meet the nation’s growing energy demands.

By prioritizing these mines, the government aims to enhance domestic coal resources and decrease reliance on imports. The Coal Ministry remains committed to bolstering India’s energy security by increasing domestic coal output, furthering the country’s sustainable economic growth trajectory.

In an effort to increase coal production in India, Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy launched the 10th tranche of commercial coal mine auctions on June 21 in Hyderabad.

The coal mines in this 10th round of allocation are located in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal. Sixteen mines will be offered in Odisha, followed by Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, where 15 coal mines will be auctioned.

Previously, Coal India Limited (CIL) had awarded 23 coal mines to private sector bidders under a revenue-sharing model, aiming to exploit the latent coal reserves in some of its closed and discontinued underground mines.