Parliament Question: Operationalisation of Auctioned Coal Blocks

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4097 ANSWERED ON- 12.08.2026 OPERATIONALISATION OF AUCTIONED COAL BLOCKS †4097. SHRI SUNIL KUMAR:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) the progress made under the operationalisation of coal blocks auctioned for mining by the Government during the last three years along with the total number of such blocks where production has already commenced in Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh;

(b) the reasons for non-commencement of production in the remaining auctioned coal blocks;

(c) the current status of the outsourced open cast mining operations at Baniyadih Open Cast Mine of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) in Jharkhand; and

(d) whether frequent clashes occur near mining areas as outsourcing companies do not provide employment to local residents and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL AND MINES (SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY)

(a) & (b) Since the launch of the commercial coal block auction framework in June 2020, a total of 141 coal blocks have been successfully auctioned, of which 132 blocks have been allocated across the country as of 30 June 2026. Out of the 132 allocated commercial coal blocks, 23 blocks have obtained Mine Opening Permission (MOP) after obtaining all required statutory clearances.

The remaining 109 blocks are in various stages of coal block development such as exploration, preparation of mining plan, obtaining environment clearance, forest clearance etc as per their scheduled operationalization timeline. The scheduled operationalization timeline for partially and fully explored blocks is 66 months and 51 months from the date of allocation respectively (revised to 52 and 40 months respectively from 15th tranche of auctions). The reason for non- commencement of production is that the blocks are either in exploration stage or obtaining requisite statutory clearances for mine operationalization, such as Environmental Clearance

(EC), Forest Clearance (FC), Grant & Execution of Mining Lease, Land acquisition & rehabilitation and mining infra development within their scheduled timelines.

Page 1 of 2As of 30.6.2026, out of the 23 operational commercial coal blocks, 15 blocks have commenced coal production, and the remaining 8 blocks are in various stages of mine infrastructure development. Of these 15 mines, 9 mines are located in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The details of these mines (year-wise and total) is given below :

Financial Year Jharkhand Odisha Chhattisgarh Total 2023-24 0 1 5 6 2024-25 1 0 1 2 2025-26 0 1 0 1 Total 1 2 6 9

(cumulative)

(c) There is no open cast mine by the name of "Baniyadih Open Cast Mine" under the jurisdiction of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) in Jharkhand. Therefore, the question of outsourced open cast mining operations or its current status at such a mine in CCL does not arise.

(d) While Law & Order is a State Subject, no frequent or systemic clashes near mining areas in regard to outsourcing contractors failing to provide employment to local residents have been reported by the allottees of the companies as well as subsidiaries of Coal India Ltd. Isolated cases of local demands are promptly addressed by the coal companies in active coordination with the State Government and local administration.

**** Page 2 of 2