New Delhi, July 20 -- The Ministry of Coal said it received strong industry interest in the government's Rs 37,500 crore Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Scheme, with public sector enterprises, private companies, technology providers and prospective applicants participating in a pre-application conference held on Monday ahead of the bidding process.

According to a Ministry of Coal press release, the conference, chaired by Additional Secretary Sanoj Kumar Jha, was held to clarify the scheme guidelines and the Request for Proposal (RFP) for potential applicants.

The ministry said the conference "witnessed enthusiastic participation from public sector enterprises, private companies, technology providers, and prospective applicants, reflec...