Seven firms, including JSW Steel, submit bids for coal blocks

JSW Steel and Adhunik Power & Natural Resources are among seven companies that have submitted bids for four coal blocks put up for sale under "second attempt" of auction process for 11 mines for commercial mining.

These coal mines were also offered in the first attempt launched on March 25 this year and had fetched single bids.

"A total of 7 companies have submitted their bids in the auction process," the coal ministry said in a statement.

The seven firms are Auro Coal Pvt Ltd, JSW Steel, MP Natural Resources Pvt Ltd, Adhunik Power & Natural Resources, Assam Mineral Development Corp Ltd, Virtuous Mining Ltd and Twenty First Century Mining Pvt Ltd.

Total seven bids were received by the ministry for four coal blocks namely Beheraband North Extn, GondbaheraUjheni East, Lalgarh (North) and Tokisud Block II.

"A total of 7 bids have been received for 4 coal mines," the ministry said.

The online bids were decrypted and opened electronically in the presence of the bidders, it said.

The auction process for 11 coal mines under second attempt of 12th tranche of auction under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 and second attempt of 2nd tranche of auction under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 for sale of coal was launched by the coal ministry on September 27.

The last date of submission of technical bid was November 29.

"As part of the auction process, technical bids comprising online and offline bid documents were opened today...in the presence of the bidders," the ministry said.