India’s largest coal producer, staterun Coal India is not eligible for the first set of auctions for blocks although 17 of them are meant for public undertakings.
“We have been given to understand that the blocks on offer under the auction are not meant for us. It is for stateowned power utilities and other entities that require coal as a raw material,” CIL chairman S Narsing Rao told ET.

CIL has also not been informed so far about the blocks that were taken away from the private operators. It was earlier reported that the monopoly company may be given some of the blocks that were taken back by the government. “We have no information yet. Some of the companies have approached court and there is no clarity on the status of these blocks,” said Rao.