Lok Sabha Question No. 871 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-21
Subject: Allocation of Captive Coal Blocks
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: MAHEISH GIRRI

## Government of India Ministry of Coal LokSabha

## Unstarred Question No. 871 To be answered on 21.07.2016 Allocation of Captive Coal Blocks

## 871. SHRI MAHEISH GIRRI:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  captive  coal  blocks  allocated  along  with  the  total capacity of these blocks during the last three years and the current year;
- (b) the number of coal blocks de-allocated so far;
- (c) the key reasons behind their de-allocation;
- (d) whether the Government has taken any steps for the early environmental clearance of these blocks; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER  OF  STATE  (I/C)  FOR  COAL,  POWER,  NEW  &  RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a): A  total  of  218  coal  blocks  were  allocated  during  the  period  1993  to 2011, out of which 204 coal blocks were cancelled by the Hon'ble Supreme Court vide its Order dated 24.09.2014. After cancellation, allocation of these 204  coal  mines/blocks  is  being  under  taken  in  accordance  with  the provisions of the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 {CMSP Act}. In addition, coal blocks are also allocated under the provisions of Mines and Minerals  (Development  &  Regulation)  Act,  1957.  Allocation  of  captive  coal blocks  made  during  the  last  three  years  under  these  two  legal  regimes  is given in the Table below:

| Coal mines allocated under Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015   | Coal mines allocated under Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015            | Coal blocks allocated under Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957   | Coal blocks allocated under Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Number of coal mines                                                   | Balance Extractable Reserves*/Estimated Geological Reserves (in Million Tonnes) | Number of coal blocks                                                                 | Estimated Geological Reserves (in Million Tonnes)                                     |
| 74                                                                     | 9886                                                                            | 10                                                                                    | 5234                                                                                  |

Further,  during  the  current  financial  year,  2016-17,  one  coal  mine with  Geological  Reserves  of  189.83  Million  Tonnes  has  been  allocated  for captive use.

(b) & (c): Out of the remaining 14 coal blocks which were not cancelled by the Hon'ble Supreme Court, Ministry of Coal has de-allocated 4 coal blocks allocated for Ultra  Mega Power Projects (UMPPs) during the year 2015-16. Out  of  these  4  coal  blocks,  one  coal  block,  namely,  Chhatrasal  was  deallocated  as  the  reserves  of  this  coal  block  were  in  excess  of  the  coal requirement of Sasan UMPP. Further, three coal blocks namely, Meenakshi, Meenakshi B and Dipside of Meenakshi allocated for Odisha UMPP were deallocated since Ministry of Power had requested for transfer of allocation of these coal blocks to allocattee's another subsidiary not having the end use plant, which was not found to be in conformity with the provisions of the Coal  Mines  (Nationalisation)  Act,  1973  under  which  the  said  blocks  were allocated.

(d) & (e): A  large  number  of  coal  mines  allocated  under  the  CMSP  Act, 2015 had already received environment clearance which was required to be transferred in the name of new allocattee. Ministry of Coal has taken up the matter of expeditious transfer/grant of  environment clearance to allocated coal blocks with Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and the State Government concerned from time to time.

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