48 bidders shortlisted for 7 Coal Blocks reserved for Power Sector: Anil Swarup

12 Feb,New Delhi

Government of India Thursday said auctioning process of coal mines is going as per schedule and technical bids for Schedule II and Schedule III have been finalised.
Briefing media in New Delhi , Coal Secretary Anil Swarup expressed confidence that process for coal allocation would be completed by 31st March. He said 48 bidders have been shortlisted for the 7 blocks ‎reserved for the power sector and 86 bidders have been shortlisted for the 16 blocks for the non-regulated sector.
Swarup said two mines in Schedule II have been put on hold as per directions of Jabalpur High Court and three mines under Schedule III have been put on hold on Delhi High Court orders.

He said, in all 110 blocks are under consideration for either allocation or auction and of them only 5 have been impacted due to intervention of Courts.
Swarup said, the Ministry has added 9 more blocks for allocation to state institutions. He informed that Ministry has decided to appoint custodian for those mines in schedule II where allocation process cannot be completed before 31st of March this year. He said, decision to appoint custodians has been taken to ensure that coal production continues unabated.
He said, comments of High Courts have been on procedural issues and not on the coal ordinance.