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| India mulls new coalfield auction | India mulls new coalfield auction |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| India's government has told the Supreme Court it wants to re-auction those coal mining licences the court declared illegal in a ruling last week. | |
| Between 1993 and 2000 governments issued 218 coal-mining licences to state and private companies. | Between 1993 and 2000 governments issued 218 coal-mining licences to state and private companies. |
| But the court said they were awarded in an unfair and non-transparent manner, and without competitive bidding. | But the court said they were awarded in an unfair and non-transparent manner, and without competitive bidding. |
| The government has now told the court it would like to "re-auction" those licences. | The government has now told the court it would like to "re-auction" those licences. |
| India's federal auditors say the state lost $210bn (£134bn) because coalfield rights were sold off cheaply. | India's federal auditors say the state lost $210bn (£134bn) because coalfield rights were sold off cheaply. |
| Although these sales were declared The court has yet to decide if the | |
| India is one of the largest producers of coal in the world and more than half of its commercial energy needs are met by coal. | India is one of the largest producers of coal in the world and more than half of its commercial energy needs are met by coal. |
| Large areas containing coal are divided into blocks, which can then be leased to mining companies. | Large areas containing coal are divided into blocks, which can then be leased to mining companies. |
| The Supreme Court is now examining whether the 218 licences given to "coal blocks" illegally should be cancelled. | The Supreme Court is now examining whether the 218 licences given to "coal blocks" illegally should be cancelled. |
| Mining is going on in some of the coalfields affected by last week's ruling - others are still lying idle. | Mining is going on in some of the coalfields affected by last week's ruling - others are still lying idle. |
| On Monday, India's Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the court that the government wanted to "re-auction" the 218 licences of coal blocks, but it would be "happy if we we save some 40 of them which are functional or operational and ready for end use [thermal energy] plant". | On Monday, India's Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the court that the government wanted to "re-auction" the 218 licences of coal blocks, but it would be "happy if we we save some 40 of them which are functional or operational and ready for end use [thermal energy] plant". |
| He said there was a need for saving 40 coal blocks as uncertainty over coal supplies would hurt the power plants, when the country is facing acute shortage of electricity. | He said there was a need for saving 40 coal blocks as uncertainty over coal supplies would hurt the power plants, when the country is facing acute shortage of electricity. |
| Correspondents say mining has become a source of massive corruption in India after the country opened up mining to private companies without strong and independent regulation. | Correspondents say mining has become a source of massive corruption in India after the country opened up mining to private companies without strong and independent regulation. |