The Government has offered companies that have been allocated captive coal mines but not started production, a last chance to present their case before the inter-ministerial panel.
“The companies will meet the inter-ministerial panel between Thursday and Saturday. They would present their case individually. After this, the panel would take a final decision on de-allocation,” a source told Business Line.
Though no decision on cancellation of allocation was taken at the meeting, the panel, headed by Additional Secretary at Coal Ministry Zohra Chatterji, firmed up the policy in relation to encashing bank guarantees where companies are not able to exploit their mines.
The companies involved include GVK, JSPL, Bajaran Ispat, Monnet, DB Power, Usha Martin and Abhijit Power.
“The panel will submit its report to the Coal Ministry on September 15 after discussions with the companies,” the source said.
A Coal Ministry statement said that the latest progress as reported by the Coal Controller will also be considered before recommending the action to be taken. When asked how soon his Ministry would take the final call on de-allocation, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal , said: “Let the panel first submit its report. Then ask me when the final decision (on de-allocation) will be taken.”
Jaiswal said that only these 58 blocks are under review at present.
The ministry had issued cancellation notices to 58 coal block owners. Of these, 20 blocks figured in the CAG report.
Meanwhile, Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Power said on Monday that coal production from mines at Sasan has commenced.