On Wednesday, the Union Ministry of Coal put 122 coal mines on the block under a commercial auction of coal mines. Out of the 122 mines, 18 are new mines, said a statement from the ministry.

Speaking at the launch of the fifth tranche of the auction, Union Minister of Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi said that 42 coal mines have already been auctioned successfully so far. Along with ensuring the nation’s energy security, this will provide employment opportunities to more than 1.17 lakh people, the minister said.

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The mines on offer are spread across 11 coal and lignite bearing states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Telangana, said a statement from the ministry.

The list of mines has been finalized post detailed deliberations, and mines falling under protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries, critical habitats, and forests covering more than 40 per cent of heavily built-up regions, among others, have been excluded from the auctions.