The Ministry of Coal has launched the 16th round of commercial coal mine auctions, offering 25 blocks, as the 147 mines auctioned since 2020 are projected to attract more than ₹55,000 crore in capital investment.
The Ministry of Coal launched the 16th round of commercial coal mine auctions in New Delhi on September 17, 2026, extending the commercial mining programme that began in 2020. The latest round offers 25 coal blocks, comprising 21 fully explored and four partially explored mines.
The blocks are spread across coal-bearing states including Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal. Six mines are being offered under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act and 19 under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.
Across the commercial coal mining programme, 147 coal mines have been auctioned so far, bringing 44 new companies into the sector. These mines are projected to generate more than ₹47,500 crore in annual revenue and attract over ₹55,000 crore in capital investment across nine coal-bearing states.
The auctioned mines are also expected to create around 4.9 lakh employment opportunities. The commercial coal mining framework allows coal to be sold without end-use restrictions and permits 100% foreign direct investment through the automatic route. Upfront payments are kept low and can be adjusted against future revenue share.
The framework is intended to enable participation from established mining companies as well as new entrants and technology-driven enterprises. The Ministry has linked the commercial auction programme with efforts to expand domestic coal production and availability and reduce dependence on imports.
Alongside the launch, the Ministry signed Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements for six mines auctioned in earlier rounds. These six mines have combined geological reserves of 1,504 million tonnes and a peak rated capacity of 11.62 million tonnes per annum. They are projected to attract ₹1,743 crore in capital investment and generate about 15,700 employment opportunities once operational.
Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey launched the latest auction round. The Ministry said the programme is aimed at bringing additional coal blocks into production while attracting further investment and strengthening domestic coal availability.
