147 Coal Mines Auctioned Since 2020 Amid Major Mining Sector Reforms: Govt

The government said on Monday that 147 coal mines have been auctioned since 2020 till date, with 44 new companies winning a coal mine amid robust reforms in the sector. These coal blocks were auctioned across nine states, projected to generate about Rs 47,500 crore in annual revenue, Rs 55,000 crore in capital investment and 4.9 lakh jobs. In the financial year 2025-26, the total revenue generated (from upfront and premium payment) from allocated commercial mines was about Rs 3,090 crore.

Following the Supreme Court's cancellation of 204 coal blocks in 2014, allocation moved to a transparent, rules-based process. The launch of commercial coal mine auctions by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 18, 2020 marked the next major step. “Six years on, it has become one of the most consequential structural reforms in the mining sector, delivering benefits shared transparently across industry, the exchequer and coal-bearing communities,” Coal Ministry said in a statement.

Notably, coal output from only commercial mines grew from 12.55 million tonnes in FY 2023-24 to 23.51 million tonnes in FY 2024-25. Captive and commercial blocks together produced about 210 MT in FY 2025-26, crossing the 200 million tonne mark for the first time, informed the ministry. A decade earlier, the figure stood at 28.8 MT, hence showcasing a compound annual growth of about 22 per cent over the period. Now, bidding is conducted online in two stages on the MSTC platform, with bid documents decrypted and opened live in front of bidders.

There is no end-use restriction, 100 per cent FDI is allowed through the automatic route, and upfront payments are kept low and adjustable against future revenue share, keeping the field open to smaller and newer players. “The Policy has not only attracted private players but also legacy coal PSUs like Coal India's own subsidiaries — Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) and Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), traditionally only producers and sellers of coal — have themselves stepped in as bidders for blocks in recent rounds, competing on exactly the same terms as private players,” said the ministry.

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