In response to Unstarred Question No. 2801, the Minister of Coal and Mines (Shri G. Kishan Reddy) stated that in March 2022, the government approved a new e-auction mechanism for coal companies. The previous sectoral e-auction windows were replaced by a single e-auction window, Single Window Mode Agnostic (SWMA) e-auction of Coal India Limited / Singareni Collieries Company Limited, catering to all sectors, including traders, with the goal to remove market distortions and enhance fair competition.
SWMA e-auction facilitates easy access to coal through a transparent online system for all Indian coal buyers. With the launch of SWMA e-auction in January 2023, the booked quantity increased from 53.37 Million Tonne (MT) in FY 2022-23 to 89.38 MT in FY 2024-25, a growth of about 67.5%.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Coal: The central government ministry responsible for the development and regulation of India's coal sector.
SWMA e-auction: Single Window Mode Agnostic e-auction, a mechanism for selling non-linkage coal of coal companies.
Coal India Limited / Singareni Collieries Company Limited: Public sector coal mining companies utilizing the SWMA e-auction platform.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COAL
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2801
TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025
e-Auction Norms of Selling Coal
2801. Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan:
Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has changed the e-auction norms of selling coal during the last
five years;
(b) if so, the reasons for such changes;
(c) whether the changes have facilitated participation of more buyers and more income to the
Government; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a) & (b): Government has approved in March, 2022, a new mechanism for e-auction of coal
by the coal companies. The erstwhile sectoral e-auction windows of coal companies have been
done away with and all the non-linkage coal of the coal companies is now sold through one e-
auction window [Single Window Mode Agnostic (SWMA) e-auction] of Coal India
Limited / Singareni Collieries Company Limited. This single window mode agnostic e-auction
(SWMA e-auction) caters to all the Sectors viz. Power & Non-Regulated Sector
including traders. The changes in the e-auction scheme were made in order to remove market
distortions and to enhance fair competition amongst the coal consumers.
(c) & (d): SWMA e-auction of coal facilitates easy availability of coal through a simple,
transparent and consumer friendly online system to all sections of coal buyers across the
country. Any Indian Buyer (viz. individual, partnership firm, companies etc.) can participate
in e-auction for procurement of coal. Coal booking through the e-auction mechanism is based
on market-linked variables, including sectoral demand fluctuations and commercial strategy
by participating consumers.
With the launch of SWMA e-auction by CIL in January, 2023, the booked quantity in the e-
auctions has increased from 53.37 Million Tonne (MT) in the FY 2022-23 to 89.38 MT in FY
2024-25, with a growth of about 67.5%.
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