E-auctioning of coal was a novel delivery mechanism that served to weed out unfair practices in the coal supply chain and reach the fuel to small-time end-users at the right price. The recent government directive to reduce the sale of coal via the e-auction, in a bid to divert this very quantum to the power sector, has stirred up a hornet’s nest. User-industries wonder if this will yield any positive results at all. How will the small enterprises procure their share of the fuel and at what cost Will this additional coal be successfully channelled against the backdrop of a rakes shortage Will the power sector be in a position to actually acquire the additional coal And, most importantly, will the move pave the way for the return of unscrupulous elements into the coal supply chain Coal Insights takes a close look. The August 2014 issue also presents interviews of R Mohan Das, Director Personnel, CIL and of B K Saxena, Director Marketing, CIL.