India: State to open up coal sector

INDIA’S government has pledged to open up the coal mining industry to private players in the energy-starved country as Prime Minister Narendra Modi steps up promised reforms to revive the ailing economy. Modi’s right-wing government approved an ordinance on Monday to allow auctions of coal mines to private companies for their own use, as well as permitting commercial mining at some point in the future. The decree comes after the Supreme Court last month cancelled more than 200 permits for coal mines, after declaring the process of awarding them illegal, throwing the sector into turmoil. “It was decided to issue an ordinance in the cabinet,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said at a briefing on the issue. – Sapa-AFP