The government will bring in commercial mining in coal sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on day 4 of her announcements on details of a Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus to battered by coronavirus and weeks of lockdown.
"Coal is a government monopoly. That government monopoly is being removed," Ms Sitharaman said, detailing reforms in the coal sector.

"Coal beds will also be auctioned. Coal bed extraction will also happen through auctioning. Rs 50,000 crore will be spent by the government for creating evacuation infrastructure, to evacuate mined coal," the Minister said.

Nirmala Sitharaman also talked about reforms in minerals, defence production, air space management, airports, power distribution companies in UTs, space and atomic energy.

Giving details of structural reforms for growth, higher production and more employment, Ms Sitharaman commented: "Though the Budget was passed recently in February, it seems like a long time ago because of the COVID-19 lockdown. "

For the ease of stakeholders in the mining sector, the Finance Minister announced a seamless composite mining cum production regime.

"500 mining blocks will go up for auction under this. Bauxite and coal mineral blocks will be auctioned together. This will bring everything under one umbrella, instead of different activity auctioned to different players. This will enable a company to do things end-to-end. It will better facilitate the mineral sector," Ms Sitharaman said.

The distinction between captive and non-captive mines will be removed to allow the transfer of mining leases and sale of surplus unused minerals, leading to better efficiency in mining and production.

The government will bring in commercial mining in coal sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on day 4 of her announcements on details of a Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus to battered by coronavirus and weeks of lockdown.
"Coal is a government monopoly. That government monopoly is being removed," Ms Sitharaman said, detailing reforms in the coal sector.

"Coal beds will also be auctioned. Coal bed extraction will also happen through auctioning. Rs 50,000 crore will be spent by the government for creating evacuation infrastructure, to evacuate mined coal," the Minister said.

Nirmala Sitharaman also talked about reforms in minerals, defence production, air space management, airports, power distribution companies in UTs, space and atomic energy.

Giving details of structural reforms for growth, higher production and more employment, Ms Sitharaman commented: "Though the Budget was passed recently in February, it seems like a long time ago because of the COVID-19 lockdown. "

For the ease of stakeholders in the mining sector, the Finance Minister announced a seamless composite mining cum production regime.

"500 mining blocks will go up for auction under this. Bauxite and coal mineral blocks will be auctioned together. This will bring everything under one umbrella, instead of different activity auctioned to different players. This will enable a company to do things end-to-end. It will better facilitate the mineral sector," Ms Sitharaman said.

The distinction between captive and non-captive mines will be removed to allow the transfer of mining leases and sale of surplus unused minerals, leading to better efficiency in mining and production.