Coal Ministry receives 21 bids for eight blocks in commercial coal auction
New Delhi, July 10 (TNT): The Ministry of Coal on Friday received 21 bids for eight coal blocks in the 15th round of commercial coal block auctions, conducted along with the second attempt of the 13th and 14th tranches.
A total of 23 coal blocks were put on offer across the three rounds, while 16 companies, including four first-time bidders, participated in the auction process, the Coal Ministry said in a release here.
The Ministry said the bids were opened by the Nominated Authority after decrypting the online submissions, followed by the opening of sealed offline bid documents in the presence of participating bidders.
The proceedings were displayed live to ensure transparency.
The bids will now be examined by a multi-disciplinary Technical Evaluation Committee. Bidders found technically qualified will be shortlisted for participation in the electronic auction to be conducted through the MSTC portal.
The Ministry said the response to the auction reflected sustained industry interest in commercial coal mining and reinforced the sector’s role in supporting industrial growth and strengthening the country’s energy security.
TNT KS
