The government has identified eight new coal blocks with total reserves of around 1.3 billion tonnes that are likely to be allotted to Coal India.
The allocation was recommended by a committee formed to identify additional coal and lignite blocks for allocation, headed by additional coal secretary. It had examined about 150 blocks with the help of Coal India subsidiary Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI).
A senior CMPDI executive said the eight blocks belonged to the dry fuel supplier some 20 years ago but were taken away from the company.
The largest among these proposed blocks is Kuraloi (A) North in Odisha’s Ib Valley with a reserve of 686 million tonnes. It is proposed to be allotted to Coal India subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields. This block, however, is surrounded by forest and coal lies deep beneath the ground, which cannot be mined independently.
North Kathara Phase-II and North Kathara Phase-I underground mines with reserves of 296 million tonnes and 9 million tonnes respectively, both in Jharkhand’s East Bokaro was recommended to be handed over to Central Coalfields. It was never allotted to anyone in the past.
The committee has also recommended allotting Benaraband North Extension in Madhya Pradesh’s Sohagpur with a total reserves of 175 million tonnes to South Eastern Coalfields.
Tondakhairi-Khandala in Maharashtra’s Kamtee with reserve of around 60 million tonnes may be allotted to Western Coalfields. Rawanwara East in Madhya Pradesh’s Pench Kanhan with a reserve of 46 million tonnes is likely to be allotted to Western Coalfields. Karkoma and Bokhara blocks in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra with reserves of 48 million tonnes and 26 million tonnes respectively may be allotted to South Eastern Coalfields and Western Coalfields.
In January this year, the government allotted 11 large coal blocks to three Coal India subsidiaries so that the company could raise production by 225 million tonnes a year by 2022 to help it meet its one billion tonnes production target. Of these, five blocks were de-allocated by the Supreme Court in 2014 and six were new blocks identified by the coal ministry for allocation.
Three of the allotted blocks—Amarkonda Murdangal, Brahmini and Chichro Patsimal in Jharkhand—were allotted to Eastern Coalfields, four mines—Rampia and Dip Side of Rampia, Ghogharpalli and Dip Extension of Ghogharpalli in Odisha—were allotted to Western Coalfields while four blocks—Dhulia North and Pirpainti-Barahat in Jharkhand and, Mandar Parvat and Mirzagaon in Bihar were given to Bharat Coking Coal.
