Coal block auction to start shortly; policy changes in the pipeline: Govt

Union minister Pralhad Joshi Wednesday said the auction of coal blocks would commence "very shortly".

The coal minister also said that major policy changes would also be notified very shortly and expressed hope that the auction would be successful.

"Once it is notified, this time, I am quite hopeful that there will be a successful auction and after that auction, the production will further increase," he told the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour.

After the amendment on the Coal Act in 2015, coal blocks are being auctioned.

"After this system, as you know, there are certain issues, but in spite of that, the coal production has increased in a short period of time," the minister said.