1 week ago
Coal Ministry Explains Tara Coal Block’s Revised Auction
The Coal Ministry said news reports about the Tara Coal Block auction left out important details.
The block was first removed from an auction in 2023.
This happened after the Chhattisgarh government raised concerns about the Lemru elephant corridor.
In December 2025, Chhattisgarh told the ministry that the block was outside the corridor and could be auctioned.
The block’s boundaries were then changed to remove the corridor’s influence zone.
It was offered again as Tara (Revised) Coal Block in 2026.
Nine bidders showed interest in it.
The winning auction included a 37.5% revenue share for the state.
The ministry expects the block to create more than 8,000 jobs and over Rs 1,200 crore in annual state revenue.
The Coal Ministry said Tara Coal Block was excluded from the July 2023 auction after Chhattisgarh raised concerns about the Lemru elephant corridor.
The ministry said the block was reconsidered after Chhattisgarh’s December 11, 2025 request to include it in a future auction.
CMPDIL revised the block boundary to remove the Lemru elephant corridor’s influence zone.
Tara (Revised) Coal Block was subsequently auctioned in the 15th round of commercial coal mine auctions.
The auction attracted nine bids and a 37.5% revenue share, with projected annual state revenue exceeding Rs 1,200 crore and employment for more than 8,000 people.
- Who
- The Coal Ministry, the Chhattisgarh government, and Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited were involved.
- What
- The ministry clarified why Tara (Revised) Coal Block was removed from an earlier auction and later auctioned.
- Where
- The block is in Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo Arand area.
- When
- The block was excluded in July 2023, reconsidered after a December 11, 2025 letter, and auctioned in 2026.
- Why
- It was initially excluded because of concerns about overlap with the Lemru elephant corridor and later auctioned after the boundary was revised.
Media Reports’ Framing
Coal Ministry’s Clarification
Completeness of the auction account
Media Reports’ Framing
Media reports discussed the auction without, according to the ministry, fully reflecting developments after 2023.
Coal Ministry’s Clarification
The Coal Ministry said the reports were misleading and incomplete because they omitted the 2025 state request and the subsequent boundary revision.
Reason for the 2023 withdrawal
Media Reports’ Framing
The reports were criticized by the ministry for not adequately accounting for the earlier withdrawal of the block.
Coal Ministry’s Clarification
The ministry said Tara was removed after Chhattisgarh requested exclusion of Hasdeo Arand blocks overlapping the Lemru elephant corridor.
Key facts
- Initial exclusion
- Tara Coal Block was removed from the July 2023 commercial coal auction.
- State communication
- Chhattisgarh requested inclusion of the block in a letter dated December 11, 2025.
- Boundary revision
- CMPDIL revised the block boundary to remove the Lemru elephant corridor’s influence zone.
- Auction round
- The revised block was offered in the 15th round of commercial coal mine auctions.
- Bids received
- Nine bids were submitted for the block.
- Revenue share
- The block was auctioned at a 37.5% revenue share.
- Projected benefits
- The ministry expects more than Rs 1,200 crore in annual state revenue and employment for over 8,000 people.
Quotes
Government of Chhattisgarh
The state government that communicated its position on including Tara in a future auction
“Recently, reports have appeared in the media on the auction of the Tara Coal block. These reports are misleading, and incomplete facts have been used in these reports. These reports do not take into account the important developments that took place after 2023, which ultimately led to the auction of Tara (Revised) Coal Block in 2026.”
thehansindia.com
“the coal block is outside the Lemru Elephant Corridor, and the coal block may be offered in the upcoming tranche of auction”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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