Govt clears 15 captive coal blocks

NEW DELHI: The government is understood to have okayed the allocation of 15 captive coal blocks for power projects, including the proposed captive plants of Mittal Steel in Orissa and Jharkhand.

Captive coal blocks have also been allocated to Tata Power, Essar Power, Lanco, Reliance Energy and Jindal Steel and Power Ltd among others.

The allocation of these blocks were earlier approved by the Coal Ministry's Screening Comittee to various power sector companies to help them meet their production needs, sources said.

In its next meeting, the Committee would consider allocation of more than 20 such captive blocks for sponge iron and cement sectors.