Ministry sets out its case for the revised Tara coal-block auction
The official account cites a state request, a revised block boundary and nine bids, while key maps and environmental records are not included.
The Coal Ministry has issued a rebuttal to media reporting about the Tara coal block, setting out its account of why the block returned to auction in 2026.
The ministry says Chhattisgarh sought the block's exclusion in 2023 because of overlap concerns involving Hasdeo Arand and the Lemru elephant corridor, then requested re-inclusion in December 2025 after stating it was outside the corridor. It says CMPDI revised the boundary before the auction, which received nine bids and closed at a 37.50% revenue share.
Why it matters
The case links state revenue, coal supply and employment with forest boundaries, wildlife protection and the credibility of the approval process.
SCULTRA point of view
Auction competition and a revised boundary are material facts, but confidence requires access to controlling maps, environmental approvals, bid documents and independent ecological assessment.
Limitations
This is the ministry's account of a disputed issue. The release does not include the underlying correspondence, GIS boundary file, clearance record or opposing evidence. Expected annual state revenue above Rs 1,200 crore and more than 8,000 jobs are forecasts.
Source: Press Information Bureau / Ministry of Coal, 11 September 2026, 12:40 PM IST.