Govt to auction 41 new coal blocks ‘very shortly’

 

NEW DELHI, July 17: The government plans to auction

more than 41 new coal blocks “very shortly”, Union minister

Prahlad Joshi said on Wednesday.

He told the Lok Sabha that a number of important steps

have been taken to augment and monitor coal dispatches to

power plants.

In 2018-19, all commodities loading by the Indian

Railways was 1,223.29 million tonnes, out of which coal

loading was 605.82 MT, which is almost 50 per cent, the Coal

and Mines minister said.

A committee, comprising coal and power secretaries, and

Member (Traffic) of Railway Board reviews coal transportation

and supply on a regular basis.

Responding to supplementary queries during the Question

Hour, Joshi said, “we are going to auction more than 41 new

coal blocks very shortly”.

He also said that coal production as well as demands are

increasing in the country. (PTI)