New Delhi: Hindalco, Adani Power and Reliance Geothermal Power are among the 134 companies, which cleared the initial stages of coal auction for 21 blocks put up by the government.
Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL), Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd (Balco), Essar Power M P Ltd, GMR Chhattisgarh Energy Ltd, GVK Power, JSW Energy, Reliance Cement Company Ltd, Ambuja Cement, Hindustan Zinc, Sesa Sterlite are some of the other major companies whose bids have been found technically qualified.
"Out of the 176 applications we received, 134 are found to be technically valid," Coal Secretary Anil Swarup told reporters here.
The auction follows the Supreme Court decision last year to cancel allocation of 204 coal mines.
The government had initially planned to auction 23 mines in first lot but has put on hold bidding for two mines due to litigations.
Of the 134 bids which are technically qualified, 12 are for Gare Palma IV/7 coal mine in Chhattisgarh, making it the most sought after mine.
Balco, Hindalco, JSPL, Jaiprakash Associates Ltd, Monnet Ispat & Energy Ltd, Rungta Mines Ltd, Ultratech Cement Ltd are among these 12 bidders.
Amelia (North) block and Bicharpur mines, both in Madhya Pradesh, have 10 bidders each.
Swarup said the Ministry will go ahead with the auction of mines as per schedule though there have some court cases as a consequence of which there have been some changes.
"Consequent to an interim order of Jabalpur (High Court), the auction of two mines has been put on hold in schedule II (producing mines). These are Gotitoria East and Gotitoria West," Swarup said.
The Ministry, he said, had put both the blocks in the unregulated sector but the Court directed that they be considered for regulated sector.
"This will require a lot of study... So right now these two mines have been put on hold ....," he said.
Swarup further said that in case of schedule III mines (ready to produce) there are three mines that have been taken out of auction process consequent to the order of the Delhi High Court.
"We are referring this to a technical committee which will re-examine it in the context and as per the directives of the High Court," Swarup said, adding that in all, five blocks have been impacted by two court orders.
The Delhi High Court had yesterday directed a technical committee to review its own decision to change the end-use of two coal blocks earlier alloted to JSPL and remove the mines from the auction.
Under the schedule II (producing mines) category, the auction of the coal blocks would be held between February 14 and February 22 and the vesting orders will be issued by March 23.
Swarup said instead of 36 coal mines the government has decided that it will now allot 45 coal blocks to the PSUs.
"There has been quite a lot of demand for allotment by state-owned entities... So the government has taken a decision to add another nine blocks to this list of blocks to be alloted... And the mines or the blocks for allocation goes up from 36 to 45," he said.
He further said that in case of allotment of mines to PSUs, the exercise will be completed well before March 31.
"Within that, there would be some changes in timelines... so we are requesting states that though you may have applied earlier you can take a re-look at your applications and re-apply," he said.
The government, Swarup said, has also decided to appoint custodians for such mines -- specially schedule II blocks (producing mines) -- in case now or in future it is unable to complete the auction process.
"So, in such mines where we are unable to complete... auction process by 31st March we shall have this custodian take over those mines so that production continues awaited," the Secretary said.
Replying to a question, he said, "We are certainly examining the High Court order to see whether we can go and appeal in the Supreme Court. This is being discussed internally... In the interim what we have done is we are referring those blocks to the Technical Committee."
He further said that there are 10 cases pertaining to coal mines which are in various courts.
"The first and second case relates to BLA Power and this was in Jabalpur," he said, adding that another case "relates to Jindal Steel and Power. There are three mines in it... We have taken them out of schedule III for the purpose of auction."
Another case relates to GVK Power which also primarily relates to compensation issue, he said, adding that there is also a case "relating to Jayaswal Neco".
