Hyderabad: Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has urged the Centre to allocate the Sathupalli block-3 coal mine to the SCCL, arguing that the move would help fast track coal extraction and bolster the country’s energy security.In a letter to Union coal minister G Kishan Reddy, Tummala welcomed the Centre’s recent decision to allot the Tadicherla-II coal block to SCCL and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kishan Reddy for the support. He requested similar consideration for Sathupalli block-3, stating that the allocation would strengthen SCCL’s operational capabilities and help meet rising energy demand.He said that Sathupalli block-3 is located adjacent to existing SCCL mining lease areas, making it a natural extension of the company’s operations.In the letter, he said Sathupalli block-3 was awarded to Sri Avantika Contractors (India) Ltd during the 16th tranche of commercial coal mine auctions. While the company signed the coal mine development and production agreement on January 8, 2024, mining operations have yet to commence. Tummala stated that the company was reportedly facing difficulties in independently developing the mine.He argued that transferring the block to SCCL would enable the company to quickly initiate mining activities by leveraging its existing infrastructure, technical expertise and operational network in the region.
