NEW DELHI: The Central government on Wednesday came out with draft rules for coal mine auctions, which clarify that there would be no restrictions on sale of coal mined. It also said that the auctioning will begin this year.
“There shall be no restriction on the sale or utilisation of coal from the coal mine. The successful bidder shall be free to sell coal in any manner … (and) utilise coal for captive consumption and export,” the draft rules said.
While a Cabinet decision taken earlier this month, amending the Mineral and Mining Development Act, had made it clear that end-use retrictions would be removed, the presence of a state-regulated price cap for the sector had left miners confused whether the market was truly being liberalised.
