In india where is coal found

Most of these coal fields are located in a narrow belt that runs east to west. Second on the list for coal reserves is the state of Odisha.

Although the biggest coalfield in Chhattisgarh is the Hasdeo-Arand coalfield, with an area of 1,km 2 , a large portion is comprised of forested area. The next-largest Korba coalfield lies over an area of km 2 in the Hasdeo river valley. Its main function is to provide coal for two thermal power plants located at Singrauli and Obra.

NS Energy is using cookies We use them to give you the best experience. Continue Learn More X. Remember me. Don't have an account? Here NS Energy profiles the country's top five states by reserves of the fossil fuel In January , India's environment ministry cleared the way for 14 coal mining and processing projects India is home to vast reserves of coal, and a commercial coal-mining industry has been in operation since , launched by the East India Company along the Damodar River in West Bengal.

It was further held that the grant of coal blocks amounted to grant of largesse as the letters of allocation issued by the Central government paved the way for grant of prospecting license or mining lease. On the aspect of transferring and alienating natural resources, emphasis was laid on the duty of the State to adopt a method of auction that enables everyone to participate by giving wide publicity.

The court noted that auction as a method had to be considered in two ways. UOI; 3 SCC 1, it was reiterated that there is no constitutional mandate in favour of auction under Article 14 of the Constitution. Under the latter, it was reiterated that the potential for abuse can never be the sole factor for holding a method including auction as unconstitutional.

It was also clarified by the court that it is not in its domain to do a comparative analysis of competitive bidding along-side other methods of transferring and alienating natural resources. However, if such a method falls foul of Article 14 of the Constitution then certainly consequences will follow. The court undertook a detailed exercise to outline various infirmities in the allocation of coal blocks after a Screening Committee was set up under the aegis of the Central government and also under the government dispensation route.

In a subsequent judgment, the Court in the matter of Manohar Lal Sharma v. The court observed on a cautionary note that it hoped the government would not deal with natural resources that belong to the country as if they were at the personal disposal of a few individuals.

The court also imposed a compensatory levy on the coal extracted from a part of the allottees even as it directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to take the investigation pending against certain allottees to its logical conclusion. The investigation conducted by the CBI was analysed threadbare and various directions were issued by the Court in the matter of Manohar Lal Sharma v.

Union of India; The scrapping of coal block allocations led to the enactment of Coal Mines Special Provisions Act of aimed at bringing the coal blocks back to the private sector by means of auctions. The Coal Block Allocation Rules, were also enacted to pave the way for competitive bidding of coal blocks. As recently as June , the Central government initiated auction of 41 coal blocks leading to an investment potential of Rs.

With the introduction of the Mineral Act Amendment Bill, , the private entities who could only use coal for captive consumption till now have been allowed to sell coal as well. Thus, the coal industry has come a full circle from nationalisation to a complete privatization. The PIL was also speculated to have far reaching effects on the power and banking sector. To conclude, the role of the Supreme Court in in ensuring fairness and transparency to a process which has been historically marred by opaque governing policies needs to be applauded.

The PIL judgement was a clear indictment of crony capitalism and a signal that the status quo needs to change. Certain sectors have complained that such a decision has had an adverse effect on the economy. However, it should be noted that the court has balanced economic interests with procedural propriety while issuing directions such as scrapping of coal block allocations. Another aspect is the introduction of competitive bidding thereby making way for private entities to enter the field.

The Central government has opened the doors wide open for both private as well as foreign players. Skeptics, however, have criticised the move saying it comes at the expense of neglecting environmental concerns. India being a signatory to Paris Agreement has pre-defined carbon emission reduction goals.

With these developments, the Central government has sent a signal that coal still remains a predominant source of energy for the country. In today's times when governments should be increasingly exploring alternative sources of energy, it seems India has chosen to back the fossil fuel industry at least for the near future.

Leaving aside environmental concerns, certain questions have also been raised with regard to the Central government policy of allowing not only private players but also foreign players into the fray.

No doubt such a decision will incentivise optimal extraction of coal, however, the attending cost needs to be kept in mind. Entry of foreign players will pose a challenge to domestic private players, who until now were largely protected. Foreign players also may not have domestic interests in mind.

Although, the previous conduct by the state in so far as questionable allocation of coal block was concerned is exactly what has led us down this rabbit hole, we must be mindful of the fact that it is the State which is in the best position to assess the needs of a sector. Coal is a readily combustible, black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, predominantly made of carbon.

It is formed over millions of years through geological pressure applied on plant remains buried under the soil. The heat value of coal reserves in our country measured in Gross Calorific Value GCV , is unfortunately lower than that of international coal reserves. This has necessitated stringent quality monitoring through coal testing by various reputed national laboratories.

As one of the most affordable and abundant sources of energy in India, Coal is primarily used for the following:. Coal India Limited CIL is striving to bring in transparency and accountability in the entire production and sale process for all stakeholders including citizens of India.