The pilot tranche of commercial coal auctions is expected to generate about Rs 7,000 crore annually for five states of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattigarh and Maharashtra, coal minister Pralhad Joshi said on Monday.
Joshi asked the state governments to support the winning companies in mine development. “We have another 20-30 years we will be able to use (coal). After that we do not know what pressures are going to be there,” he said at a press briefing.