New Delhi: The auction of coking coal blocks has elicited a tepid response from iron and steel players, and the government is keen to understand the problems faced by the industry, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday.

The government has been making efforts to increase the domestic coking coal output to reduce the country's dependence on imports.

"The coking coal block auction has received a lukewarm response from industry and the Ministry of Coal is keen to understand the issues faced by industry in this regard," Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said.

He was addressing a workshop on coking coal strategy for the Indian steel sector.

Joshi also invited suggestions from stakeholders for finding technology solutions and using available domestic coking coal.

In the last few years, there has been an increase in coking coal import.

Coal Secretary AK Jain was of the view that coking coal is a fuel for the steel sector and reforms are required to track investment in the industry, especially in the coal abundant areas.

Steel Secretary Sanjay Singh said the government has begun working on a strategy for having domestic coal use in blast furnaces and washeries, and to increase domestic coal blending to 25-35 percent.

(With PTI inputs)

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