The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Policy for Auction of Coal Linkage for Seamless, Efficient and Transparent Utilisation, named CoalSETU. The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Briefing the media in New Delhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the new policy will introduce a separate window called CoalSETU under the Non-Regulated Sector (NRS) Linkage Auction Policy, 2016. The move will allow long-term allocation of coal linkages through auctions for any industrial use, including exports. Any domestic buyer requiring coal will be eligible to participate in the auction, regardless of end use.
Coal linkages obtained under CoalSETU can be used for captive consumption, exports, or other purposes such as coal washing, but resale within the country will not be permitted. Linkage holders will be allowed to export up to 50 per cent of the allocated coal and can flexibly utilise the fuel across group companies.
The Cabinet also approved a budget of ₹11,718 crore for Census 2027. Vaishnaw said the census will be conducted in two phases and will be India’s first fully digital census. It will be the 16th census in the country and the eighth since Independence. Caste enumeration will be included, and data will be collected using mobile applications on Android and iOS platforms. Around 30 lakh field functionaries will be involved in the exercise, which will cover every household across the country.
In another decision, the Cabinet approved the Minimum Support Price for copra for the 2026 season. The MSP for milling copra has been increased by ₹445 to ₹12,027 per quintal, while the MSP for ball copra has been raised by ₹400 to ₹12,500 per quintal. The MSP applies to fair and average quality produce.
Vaishnaw said the higher MSP will ensure better returns for coconut growers and encourage increased copra production to meet rising domestic and global demand for coconut-based products.