Govt allocates 11 coal mines to CIL

New Delhi: Aiming to increase the annual coal production capacity, the government has allocated eleven coal mines to Coal India Ltd under provisions of the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 and the MMDR Act, 1957.

In a written reply to a question in the Upper House of the Parliament on Friday Union Coal Minister Piyush Goyal mentioned that the new coal blocks will add about 225 MT coal in its collective annual production capacity.

There are five coal blocks in Jharkhand (Amarkonda Murgadangal, Brahmani, Chichro Patsimal, Dhulia North, Pirpainti-Barahat), four in odisha (Rampai, dip side of Rampai, Ghogharpalli and dip extension of Ghogharpalli) and two in Bihar ( Mandar Parvat and Mirzagaon).

According to the minister, CIL had requested the ministry for allotment of additional coal mines as its three subsidiaries—Eastern Coalfield Ltd, Bharat Coking Coal Ltd, and Western Coalfields Ltd are having 100 MT plus coal producing capacity and do not have adequate coal reserves at present.

In addition to that Goyal also asserted that from CIL the annual coal linkage would be 100 MTPA with non-regulated sector by March, this year, the minister added further. Further about 75 MT of coal is projected to be sold to non-regulated sector through various e-auction schemes in the year 2017-18.

The government also approved a new policy for allocation of future coal linkages in a transparent manner for power sector consumers with 'Schemes for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala Transparently in India' (SHAKTI).