Stop privatisation of coal blocks in TS: Uttam

HYDERABAD: Urging the Centre not to entertain private companies in coal block auction, Nalgonda Lok Sabha member N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday demanded that the four blocks, Kalyan Khani Block-6, Koyagudem Block-3, Sathupalli Block-6 and Shravanapalli be allotted to SCCL (Singareni Collieries Company Ltd).

Raising the matter in Lok Sabha as a 'Matter of Urgent Public Importance',
Reddy said that the people of Telangana were strongly objecting to the
auction of these four coal blocks, which were co-located with the existing
coal mines of SCCL.

The Congress member demanded that the auction of coal blocks be cancelled
and instead be allotted to SCCL, a public sector undertaking. He reminded
that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Telangana last month,
had promised that there would not be privatisation of coal blocks.

"In a very irrational and bizarre decision, the Centre  has announced an
auction of coal blocks adjacent to Singareni coal blocks," Reddy argued in
the Lok Sabha.

In his response, Union minister for coal and mines, Pralhad Joshi found the
allegations by MP as ‘absolutely wrong’ and 'baseless' as SCCL is jointly
owned by the state and Union government on a 51: 49 equity basis. Since the
government of Telangana is the majority stakeholder with 51%, it is not
possible for the Union government to privatise SCCL, he said in written
reply.