New Delhi, Jun 29 (IANS): A total of 31 companies have submitted 38 online and offline Bids bids for commercial coal mining auction and now the technical evaluation will be carried out by a committee of senior officers, the Ministry of Coal announced on Tuesday.

According to the ministry, the bids were received under three tranches of commercial coal mine auctions. Under the fifth tranche, a total of 28 bids were received for 15 coal mines, where two or more bids have been received for 8 coal mines. Under the second attempt of Third tranche, a total of nine coal mines were put up for auction and six bids have been received against six coal mines. Under the second attempt of the fourth tranche, a total of four coal mines were put up for auction and four bids received against 3 coal mines.

The bids will be evaluated by a multi-disciplinary Technical Evaluation Committee and technically qualified bidders would be shortlisted for participation in the electronic auction.

The process of 122 coal/lignite mines for sale of coal was launched by the Nominated Authority of the Ministry on March 30, and the last date of submission of technical bid was June 27, except for 10 mines (Parbatpur Central coal mine and 9 lignite mines).

The online bids were decrypted and opened electronically in the presence of the bidders. Subsequently, sealed envelopes containing offline bid documents were also opened in the presence of bidders. Entire process was displayed on the screen for the bidders.