The government has begun reallocating cancelled coal blocks. On Thursday 36 blocks will be allocated to Public Sector Enterprises.
More blocks would be allotted later depending on the requirement and based on requests made by staterun entities, Coal Secretary Anil Swarup said here on Wednesday.
Of the 36 mines, one would go to the steel sector while the rest would be given to power sector entities.
Further, eauction of 46 coal mines would begin on February 14 in two phases.
While 23 schedule II mines (those that are producing already) would be auctioned between February 14 and March 5, another 23 blocks, falling under Schedule III (ready to produce), would be put on offer between February 25 to March 5.
“We started with 42 mines in schedule II and 32 mines in schedule III. Subsequently 27 mines were transferred from schedule I to schedule III thereby taking the number to 101,” Mr. Swarup said. However, with three mines falling under “no go” areas, the effective number of mines would be 98.
The Coal Ministry will issue guidelines for those companies which already have linkages, to surrender them.
“Such public entities that have coal linkages...can surrender (them) and then apply for coal blocks...once the linkage gets surrendered, that much coal will be made available to Coal India to be given to other entities (needing coal),” he said.
In December last year, the government had promulgated an ordinance for the reallocation of >coal blocks that were cancelled by the Supreme Court in August.
The government hoped to conclude the reallocation process by 31st March, Mr. Swarup said.
