Exploration and Exploitation of Methane Gas

As on date, 33 Coal Bed Methane (CBM) blocks have been awarded to various Public Sector Undertakings/private organizations in four rounds of bidding for exploration and exploitation of CBM, which covers 17,200 sq. km. (66%) of the total available coal bearing area (26,000 sq. km.) in 11 states of India viz. Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. This was stated by Sh. Piyush Goyal, (Minister of state (IC) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.