New Delhi: The ambitious e-auction plan of the Centre has received a setback due to inadequate number of bidders, prompting the Union Coal Ministry to cancel the auction process at least twice.
This was revealed by the Ministry through a written reply to Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena’s (BJD) query on the issue Wednesday. Jena sought the Union Coal Ministry’s reply on the auction of allocated coal mines in the country and details of other channels of allocation.
The BJD parliamentarian asked whether only about 16 per cent of the total allocated coal reserves have been auctioned. “What are the details thereof and the other channels of allocation of coal reserves in the country? Whether the fourth and fifth rounds of auctions have been cancelled owing to lack of bidders,” asked Jena.
He also sought the coal ministry’s response on the steps taken to ensure precise policies and transparent transactions.
Although the Parliament was adjourned for the day, a written reply was given by the ministry.
In the reply to the starred question of the BJD MP, Coal Minister Piyush Goyal said, “We have allocated 84 coal mines till now. Out of them, 26, including Talabira I in Odisha, were allocated through auction. We have allocated 19 coal blocks to Central and state government companies as per the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act 1957 and no coal block has been auctioned.”
Goyal said that nine coal mines were proposed for the auction in the fourth stage, but due to inadequate response the online bidding was not opened and the auction process was cancelled.
“Similarly, in the fifth stage, six coal mines were proposed for auction but as there were less than three eligible bidders the auction was cancelled,” said Goyal.
“The Centre had initiated e-auctioning in December 2014 to make the process transparent. This was the most transparent process as bidding took place on an electronic platform and was available to everyone through Internet. Many people were watching the auction live,” added Piyush Goyal.
Goyal mum on coal royalty revision
New Delhi: The Ministry of Coal has not yet responded to Odisha’s long pending demand for hike and revision of coal mining royalty to the state.
The issue was scheduled to be raised orally by Jajpur BJD Member of Parliament Rita Tarai in the Lok Sabha Wednesday and an oral response from the NDA government at the Centre was awaited. However, due to adjournment of the House Wednesday, because of Karunanidhi’s death, an oral reply was not given. Nevertheless, a written reply from the ministry was tabled in the Lower House.
In the starred question, Tarai had wanted to know from the NDA government, whether the Study Group constituted by it to consider revision of rates of royalty on coal has submitted its report. She also asked if the NDA government had been mulling to consider enhancement of royalty and the time period by which the decision would be taken.
Union Coal Minister Piyush Goyal, in his written response, has evaded the question of the government’s plan to consider revising the royalty and the time period for the same. He merely said, “Ministry of Coal has constituted a Study Group July 21, 2014 under the Chairmanship of Additional Secretary (MoC) for the purpose of examining the issue of revision of present royalty rates on coal and lignite. The Study Group has submitted its recommendation February 5, 2018, which is under consideration with the government.”
The response shows that the group had submitted its recommendations six months ago, but the Union government is yet to take any concrete decision.