Coal ministry launches 13th round of commercial mine auctions, 14 blocks on offer
Union coal and mines minister G Kishan Reddy said with 134 mines auctioned across 12 rounds so far, the process has attracted investments worth ₹41,600 crore and generated over 3.5 lakh jobs. “We are reshaping India’s energy landscape,” he said at the launch event.
The 13th round comprises four coal mines under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015, and 10 under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. Ten of the mines are fully explored and ready for immediate development, while four are partially explored. Three mines from previous rounds are also being offered.Reddy said India achieved a historic milestone by crossing one billion tonnes of coal production in FY25. He stressed the importance of adopting new technologies like Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) to access deep-seated reserves of around 370 billion tonnes that are not mineable through conventional methods.The minister urged successful bidders to commence production ahead of schedule to avail incentives and reiterated the ministry’s commitment to progressive reforms, faster clearances and improving ease of doing business. “Coal demand will continue to rise. India must plan ahead to enhance production from its vast reserves as the world’s second-largest producer and consumer,” he said.Minister of state for coal and mines Satish Chandra Dubey said, “With India surpassing one billion tonnes of coal production, the launch of the 13th round of commercial coal mine auctions marks another significant step towards energy self-sufficiency.” He highlighted the role of transparent auction mechanisms and urged participants to contribute to the Prime Minister’s plantation drive “Ek Ped Maa ke Naam.”Coal secretary Vikram Dev Dutt said seven projects have been selected under the ministry’s ₹8,500 crore incentive scheme for coal gasification. “We are actively supporting coal gasification through a dedicated incentive framework,” he said.The event also featured signing of agreements with successful bidders from previous rounds.
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