IMG to meet tomorrow to review BGs of 61 coal blocks

The meeting will consider the issue of Bank Guarantee

The meeting of inter-ministerial group on coal blocks to look into the issue of bank guarantees related to 61 mines allocated to firms such as ArcelorMittal, Tata Steel and JSPL has been postponed from today to tomorrow.

"The meeting which was to be held on June 10...Is now rescheduled, to be held on June 11...To consider the issue of Bank Guarantee in respect of the coal blocks which were reviewed in 24th IMG (Inter-Ministerial Group) meeting," the Coal Ministry said in the meeting notice.

It will be the IMG's first meeting since the new government has taken charge last month after the general elections. Piyush Goyal has been appointed Minister of State (Independent Charge) for coal, power and new & renewable energy.

Some of the coal blocks reviewed in the February 7-8 meeting are Moitra mine allocated to Jayaswal Neco Ltd, Seregarha mine jointly alloted to ArcelorMittal and GVK Power, Ganeshpur mine jointly alloted to Tata Steel and Adhunik Power and Natural Resources Ltd and Jitpur block allocated to JSPL.

The Coal Ministry had in February decided to deallocate around 30 coal blocks of companies like JSPL, AreclorMittal and Sterlite Energy for delays in developing the mines allocated to them for captive use.

It followed the IMG recommendations which had suggested the deallocation of mines. The panel had reviewed the progress of development of 61 coal blocks.

The panel also reviewed 10 coal blocks of companies including JSPL, Tata Steel and JSW Steel and gave them 8-9 months to obtain stage II forest clearances.