Odisha will get Rs.45,000 crore from coal auction

Union coal secretary Anil Swarup on Thursday said Odisha would get about Rs.45,000 crore in next 25-30 years from the ongoing coal auction process.

He said if all the mines are explored, the state would avail an estimated amount of about Rs.45,000 crore during that period.

Stating that Odisha would get the amount only when mines are explored, Swarup said if there are more reserves of coal, the state would get more revenue.

"It all depends on stock or reserve of minerals in the mines," Swarup told media persons here after reviewing various issues of coal mines belonging to Mahanadi Coal Fields Ltd. (MCL).

Swarup's estimate came in contrast to Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's claim earlier that Odisha would receive Rs.2 lakh crore from the coal auction.

The coal secretary denied rejecting any request of the Odisha government regarding allocation of coal blocks to Odisha Thermal Power Corporation (OTPCL).

"We have not rejected any request of the state government. We have certain process that needs to be followed. We don't allocate blocks on the basis of letters. We are going as per the process," said the coal secretary.

He said the request of the state government to allocate coal blocks to its PSUs through nomination route would be considered, if the requests come through proper process.

"We are soon going to announce the next lot of coal blocks. If the state government applies, we will consider," said Swarup.

The Odisha government had demanded allocation of Chhendipada-I and Chhendipada-II coal blocks in favour of OTPCL, which has proposed to set up a 2,400 MW power plant at Kamakshya Nagar in Dhenkanal district.

But the government claimed that the coal ministry has turned down the request. The government has also proposed to allocate coal blocks to the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).