Set aside coal for power projects before e-auction: Power Ministry

NEW DELHI: The Power Ministry today said it has asked the Coal Ministry to set aside coal for power projects before allowing e-auctions of the raw material.

"e-auction should be resorted to after they (producers) meet the requirement of the power sector," Power Secretary P Uma Shankar told reporters here.

The Coal Secretary, he said, has assured that Coal India will be able to spare coal, provided the developer picks it up from the pit head.

Around 10 per cent of the total production of Coal India is sold through e-auctions.

Shankar said the Coal and Power Ministries would meet soon, though he refused to give details on the issues that will be discussed at the meeting.