New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) The coal ministry is identifying 15-20 blocks for the next - third - round of auction, but cannot give a deadline for completing the process for all 204 blocks whose allotments were annulled by the Supreme Court, Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday.
"Fifteen to 20 coal blocks are being identified (for auction) and we are hopeful that the mining from these blocks could start soon," Goyal told reporters here after launching the ministry's coal project monitoring portal.
"I don't think that a timeline can be set for all 204 (blocks) because several of them are unexplored and several of them were alloted earlier based on irrational criteria. I would like to do the whole job very systematically," he added.
The government earlier this month completed the auction of 33 coal mines in two rounds.
On Tuesday, as per the privisions of the coal ordinance now made into law by parliament, the government allotted 37 mines to central and state-run power units, and one to the Steel Authority of India Ltd.
In a statement later, the coal ministry said that the "e-CPMP (online coal project monitoring portal) has been developed for tracking projects that entail an investment related to coal" and will "improve the communication between industries to government, government to government, or vice versa".
Coal Secretary Anil Swarup said the portal "marks a new beginning in the process towards making everything transparent in coal, so that nothing gets leaked".
The Delhi High Court had on Monday granted interim relief to Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. and restrained the central government from allocating to Coal India the two coal blocks - for which JSPL had emerged as the successful bidder in the recent round of auctions.
The ministry said last week it was "re-examining" nine winning bids out of the 33 coal blocks auctioned so far, on whether there were any price discrepancies in case of the nine winning bids, including those made by companies like Jindal Steel and Balco.
It was considering whether these bids were too low when compared with the winning bids for other similar blocks through an analytical tool called "outlier", which looks for unusual observations that are far removed from the mass of data.
Sarojini Naidu Biopic: Shanti Priya replaces Deepika Chikhaliya in Sarojini Naidu's biopic, said – I will leave no stone unturned
There was talk of becoming a biopic of freedom fighter and poetess Sarojini Naidu for a long time. The makers had also roped in actress Dipika Chikhlia in the year 2020 to play the role of Sarojini
Anwar Ibrahim became the new Prime Minister of Malaysia: has been jailed for sodomy and corruption, appointed by King Sultan Abdullah
Anwar Ibrahim Malaysia was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Malaysia on Thursday. The impasse had been going on since the elections in Malaysia on 19 November. Meanwhile, King Sultan Abdullah
Liquor license: LG ordered another inquiry against the Kejriwal government, and sought report from CS in 15 days
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has ordered another inquiry after complaints of irregularities in the distribution of liquor licenses. The Chief Secretary has been asked to investigate the
50% posts in Congress to youth: Kharge's announcement as soon as he becomes president - half the posts will be given to people below 50 years of age
Mallikarjun Kharge has officially become the Congress President. The election officer Madhusudan Mistry at AICC Headquarters Delhi handed over the certificate of victory to him. In his first speech
Taxes will not be levied on oxygen concentrators coming from abroad for personal use, Delhi HC declares Center decision illegal
IGST (Integrated Goods and Services Tax) will no longer be levied on oxygen concentrators coming or sought for personal use from abroad. The Delhi High Court, in its judgment, has declared the Central
Hijab Row: Supreme Court ready to hear Karnataka Hijab dispute, High Court's decision has been challenged
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the petitions challenging the High Court order in the Karnataka Hijab dispute case. The hearing in the matter may take place any day next week. Let us tell you
Delhi Services Bill: Sharp debate between BJP and opposition on Delhi Services Bill, know who said what
During the discussion on the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, a heated exchange took place in the Rajya Sabha on Monday between the ruling BJP and the
Sanatan Dharma: 'Slap Udhayanidhi Stalin, get a reward of 10 lakhs', an NGO in Vijayawada announced by putting up a poster
Sanatan Dharma Row. DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin is in serious trouble by making statements against Sanatan Dharma. On one hand, leaders of many
Opposition to agricultural bills intensifies: New announcement of farmers - trains will stop all over the country; 30 thousand farmers from Punjab coming to Delhi
Today is the 16th day of the farmers' agitation against the new agricultural laws. Seeing that there is no talk with the government, farmers have intensified the movement. They have now announced to
Weather Update Today: There will be drizzle with strong wind in Delhi-NCR today, warning of heavy rain in these states, know where the monsoon reached
The people of North India, including Delhi-NCR, which are scorching due to the scorching heat, are eagerly waiting for the arrival of the monsoon. The Meteorological Department has issued a fresh