The Ministry of Coal has received a total of 69 requests from State and Central public sector units for allotments of 36 coal blocks.
A Technical Evaluation Committee appointed by the Ministry of Coal will now assess the eligibility and coal requirement of the PSUs with the whole process of allotment expected to be completed by March 1.
Amongst the companies seeking allotments for the most number of blocks is NTPC Ltd, which apart from requesting allocation of five blocks it held previously, has also sought allocation of three more blocks.
Four of the NTPC blocks that were de-allocated were in Jharkhand and one in Odisha. In Jharkhand, Talaipali has 965 million tonnes of geological reserves, Kerandari has 229 million tonnes, Chatti Bariatu has 243 million tonnes and Chatti Bariatu South has 354 million tonnes. In Odisha, the Dulanga block has 260 million tonnes of geological reserves.
Business Line had reported earlier that the company has targeted winning back the blocks it lost. Apart from its previously held mines, the company has also bid for Manoharpur and Dipside Manhorpur, Gare Palma II and Utkal D & E. These blocks have geological reserves of 1.64 billion tonnes of coal.
However, NTPC’s former blocks are also wanted by Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Ltd of Jharkhand, Bihar State Power Generation Company Ltd, UP Rajya Viduty Utpadan Nigam Ltd, NLC Tamil Nadu Power Ltd, and Telangana State Power Generation Corporation.
The highest number of requests was received for Gare Palma II, which is being chased by nine PSUs. As per the geological reserves, the block has 768 million tonnes of coal. However, the Barjora (North) block has received no applications.
West Bengal Power Development Corporation has emerged as the only applicant for the Gangaramchak and Gangaramchak –Bhadulia which have a total of 18 million tonnes of coal reserves.
Other applicants include National Aluminium Company Ltd, THDC India Ltd and NTPC’s joint venture with the Indian Railways – Bhartiya Rail Bijlee Company Ltd.