Mining Money Magnet
New Delhi
The Ministry of Coal has successfully auctioned three coal blocks located in Jharkhand and Odisha under the 13th round of commercial coal mine bidding. According to an official statement, these auctions are expected to bring in an investment of around Rs 7,350 crore in the coming years.
The three coal blocks are Pirpainti Barahat and Dhulia North in Jharkhand, and Mandakini-B in Odisha. Damodar Valley Corporation emerged as the highest bidder for all three blocks. Together, these mines hold geological reserves of about 3,306.58 million tonnes of coal and have the capacity to produce up to 49 million tonnes per year at their peak.
The government said these blocks are likely to generate annual revenue of nearly Rs 4,620.69 crore and create about 66,248 job opportunities, mainly in coal-bearing regions. This is expected to help local communities by providing more work and improving economic activity.
Since commercial coal mining started in 2020, a total of 136 coal blocks have been auctioned across the country. These blocks have a combined production capacity of over 325 million tonnes per year. Once all of them become operational, they are expected to reduce India’s dependence on imported coal and support the goal of becoming self-reliant in the energy sector.
The 13th round of coal block auctions was launched on August 21, and the forward bidding process took place between November 20 and November 25. The process was done online in two stages, starting with technical evaluation and followed by competitive price bidding.
The ministry said recent reforms have made coal mining more transparent and open. Private companies can now mine coal for commercial sale, instead of only for their own use. These changes aim to boost production, attract investment, and strengthen India’s coal sector for the future.
