Coal gasification: Ministerial panel examining 14 mines

A total of 14 mines, including seven coal blocks, are under examination of an inter-ministerial panel set up for development of underground coal gasification (UCG) in the country.

"Total of 14 blocks (7 coal and 7 lignite) has been identified which are under consideration of inter-ministerial committee (IMC) which has been constituted for the purpose of UCG development in India," Coal Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Of the seven coal blocks, four are in Madhya Pradesh and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

Of the seven lignite blocks, five are in Rajasthan and two in Gujarat.

The IMC under the chairmanship of coal additional secretary has been set up which, among other things, would identify the areas to be offered, decide about blocks to be put to bidding or allocation to PSUs on nomination basis and propose the mechanism for bidding process.