The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2014 was introduced in the Lok Sabha today. It will replace the ordinance promulgated on the subject. The bill seeks to provide for allocation of coal mines and vesting of the rights of land and mine infrastructure to successful bidders and allottees. It also intends to ensure continuity in coal mining operations and production of coal for promoting optimum utilisation of coal resources.

Introducing the Bill, Coal Minister Piyush Goyal said that in view of the Supreme Court’s judgement cancelling 204 coal blocks, it had become necessary to bring the bill so that coal blocks could be allocated and supply of coal to the power, steel and cement companies could be ensured. Allaying the apprehension of TMC member Saugata Roy that the bill will lead to denationalisation of coal mines, Mr Goyal said, there is no such move and interest of all stakeholders have been taken into consideration while drafting the bill.