Ranchi: Technical bid for the auction of coal blocks for commercial mining opened today. The coal ministry received 78 valid bids for the 21 of the 38 coal mines offered for the first auction of blocks.
The coal blocks for which bids have been submitted included Brahmadiha, Chakla, Chendipada, Chhendipada-II, Gare Palma IV/1, Gare Palma Iv/7, Gondalpara, , Gotitoria E and W, Marki Mangali, Radhipur (east) , Radhiour (West), Rajhara North, Saharpur East, Saharpur West, Takli Jena Bellora (N) and (S), Urtan North, Urma Pahartoli, Bandha, Dhirauli, Kuraloi(A) North and Urtan.
For Brahmdiha the list of bidders include Everdeliver Logistics Pvt Limited, APMDC, Bhupati Mining, Alankar Tradelinks Pvt Ltd, Shri Jai Babu Casting Pvt Limited while for Chakla the list of bidders include Hindalco and Agarwal Mining.
For Chendipada and Chhendipada-II coal blocks there is only one bidder which is APMDC. For Gare Palma IV/1, the list of bidders include Adani Enterprises, Hindalco, Jindal Power Limited and for Gare Palma IV/7 the list of bidders include Rungta Sons Pvt Ltd, DB Power, Andani Enterprises, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Limited, Hindalco, Sarda Energy and Mineral Limited, Jindal Power Plant, JSW Steel Limited, Bharat Aluminium Company Limited.
For Gondalpara coal block list of bidders include EMIL Mines and Mineral Resources Limited, India Coke and Power Pvt Ltd, Vedanta Ltd and Adani Enterprises. For Gotitoria E and W, the list of bidders include Inspire Construction and Coal Pvt Limited, AMPDC, Mahavir Clean Fuel Mining Pvt Ltd, Bansal construction works Pvt Ltd, Dilip Buildcon Limited, Net Energy Pvt Ltd, ND Pharma Pvt Ltd.
For Marki Mangali coal blocks list of bidders include Yazdani International Pvt Ltd, APMDC and Refer Industries Ltd. For Radhikapur (East) coal blocks the list of bidders include Rungta Mines Ltd, Adani Enterprises, EMIL Mines and Minerals, Jindal and Steel and Power Plant and National Aluminium Company Limited.
For Radhipur (West) the list of bidders include Rungta Mines Limited, Chendiha Collieries Pvt Ltd, EMIL Mines and Mineral Resources Ltd, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd and Vedanta Ltd.
For Rajhara coal blocks the list of bidders include Fairmine Carbon Pvt Ltd, Saraf Foading Company Pvt Ltd, Ramgarh Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd, Adani Enterprises and Nilkanth Coal Mining Pvt Ltd. For Saharpur East coal block the list of bidders includes JMS Mining Pvt Ltd, Chowgule Realty and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, Aurobindo Realty and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, Sarda Energy and Mineral Ltd.
For Saharpur West coal block the list of bidders include JMS Mining Pvt Ltd, Cuprum Bagrodia Ltd, Chowgule Realty and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and Sarda Energy and Mineral Ltd. For Takli Jena Bellora (N) and (S) the list of bidders include Aurobindo Realty and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, Sunflag Iron Steel Co Ltd.
For Urtan coal block, the list of bidders includes JMS Mining Pvt Ltd, Sunflag Iron Steel Co Ltd and Startech Mineral Resources Pvt Ltd. For Urma Pahartoli coal block the list of bidders include JMS Mining Pvt Ltd, Aurobindo Realty and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, Welspun Steel Ltd, India Coke and Power Pvt Ltd, Adicorp Enterprises Pvt Ltd and Adani Power Resources Ltd.
For the Bandha coal block the list of bidders include Aurbindo Realty and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, EMIL Mines and Mineral Resources Ltd, Adani Enterprises. For Dhirauli coal block the list of bidders include Hindalco and Startech Mineral Resources Pvt Ltd. For Kurali (A) North coal block the only bidder is Vedanta Limited. For Urtan coal block the bidders are JMS Mining Pvt Limited and Startech Mineral Resources Pvt Ltd.
Examination of the technical bids, which was opened today, will be started from Thursday and conclude on October 16. The financial bidding by the qualified bidders will begin on October 19 through state-run MSTC’s e-auction platform and close on November 11.
The Supreme Court on Monday had paved the way for the technical bids by declining a Jharkhand government plea to stay the auction process. The state government had sought a stay on the ground that the auction will not fetch good price due to the situation arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and commercial sale will not benefit the state. The court is set to take up the matter again on Wednesday.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had in May 16 announced the launch of commercial mining without end-use restrictions as part of the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat(self-reliant India)’ campaign aimed at reviving economic activities across industries. The policy to allow commercial mining was approved by the cabinet in February 2017 under Narendra Modi’s first term as the prime minister. The changes in the pertinent laws required to implement the policy were made in January this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the auction on June 18, saying it will usher in an era of competition and transparency in the sector and see India turning the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity. Altogether, 41 coal mines have been put on the block, which he said will attract investments of Rs 33,000 crore over the next five years and take the country towards self-reliance in energy. Four blocks were subsequently knocked off the list due to environmental concerns.
For good measure, the prime minister had said the auction will unlock the potential of India’s coal reserves, the fourth largest in the world, and curb imports. “The government has taken an important decision to open up the coal mining sector to competition, capital and technology. India should be the world’s biggest coal exporter, considering the size of reserves,” he had said.
