Over 100 bidders already registered for coal block auctions, says Goyal

Over 100 bidders have already come forward to participate in the forthcoming coal mine auctions, Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.

He was speaking to reporters in the national capital after the launch of redesigned websites of Ministries of Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy.

"More than 100 bidders have already registered on the website to participate in the bidding process," Goyal said.

When asked about the mines allocation to PSUs, the minister said it would be done very soon. "We are getting details of coal blocks," he said.

The government on December 25 kick-started the auction process for coal mines that were deallocated by the Supreme Court.

The government will put on offer 46 coal blocks and the auction of mines is due in February. It has already put on its website the list of 17 coal blocks, which would be allotted to government companies.

Goyal further said a lot of wrong impression was being sought to be created on the government inviting financial bids along with the technical bids in the first instance.

"There is a deliberate misinformation campaign going on that the government should not invite financial bid along with the technical bid. Some vested interests are trying to propagate the theory that we are trying to restrict the bidding," the minister said.

Defending the decision, he added, "We can get aggressive bidding right from the beginning."

On US President Barack Obama's forthcoming visit to the country, Goyal said the government was looking forward to deepening ties with Washington.

"The country attaches a lot of importance to President Obama's visit. It gives great signal of deep engagement and friendship between the two countries and we are looking forward to a very successful, very engaging meeting with him," the minister said.