(a) the details regarding commercial mining of coal and the steps being taken by the Government for its implementation;
(b) the manner in which coal sector as well as the country is likely to be benefited by commercial mining; and
(c) the status of commercial mining in South Eastern Coalfields Limited?
MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES
(SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)
(a): Methodology for auction of coal and lignite mines/blocks for sale of coal/lignite on revenue sharing basis was issued on 28.05.2020. Twenty coal mines have been successfully auctioned for sale of coal. Further, 67 coal mines have been offered in the current, ongoing tranche of auction for sale of coal.
(b): Auction of coal mines for sale of coal would create a market place for coal with multiple producers to drive competition and adopt best practices in mining as well as environment management. Auction of coal mines for sale of coal in a transparent manner is expected to encourage transparent pricing of coal, based on market forces. It would make maximum coal available in the market at the earliest.
(c): Number of operational coal mines of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) as on 01.04.2021 is 67. Details of production and supply of coal by SECL during the last three years is tabulated below:
Year Coal Production (in MT) Coal Supply (in MT)
2018-19 157.35 156.03
2019-20 150.55 141.94
2020-21 150.61* 138.78*
* Provisional figure
****