Underlining the need for ramping up coal production to meet the growing domestic demand, the Inter-Ministerial Group on PPP in coal mining, comprising the Planning Commission, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and the Coal Ministry, has strongly pressed for Public-Private Partnership mode for mining and evacuation of coal from Coal India Limited-owned mines.

At a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) held recently, the DEA pointed out that there were 180 coal blocks available with CIL, of which some could be given to private sector operators on the PPP basis for mining.