Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Mr. G. Kishan Reddy, launched the 11th round of Commercial Coal Mine auctions with a total of 27 coal blocks on offer at New Delhi.

These 27 coal blocks are spread across the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh and include both fully explored and partially explored mines including one coking coal mine.

The Ministry has also executed nine agreements with successful bidders of 10th round of auctions. These mines upon operationalisation will generate Annual Revenue of Rs. 1,446 crores calculated at PRC of these coal mines and will provide employment to approximately 19,000 people.

For 11th round also, Mines falling under protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries, critical habitats, having forest cover greater than 40%, heavily built-up area etc. have been excluded. Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Mr. G. Kishan Reddy, emphasized that coal remains the cornerstone of India’s energy landscape, asserting that power generation is unimaginable without it.

He highlighted the transformative impact of coal block auctions in achieving energy security, fostering self-reliance, and reducing dependency on imports. Urging industry players to participate enthusiastically in 11th round of auctions, he called for collective contributions toward realizing the vision of an energy-independent Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Coal Secretary Mr. Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, highlighted the crucial role of policy reforms.

The Addl Secy and Nominated Authority, Ministry of Coal, Ms. Rupinder Brar also spoke.