Ranchi, Jul 7 (IANS): Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda met union Minister of Coal Sriprakash Jaiswal Thursday to seek the reversal of his ministry's decision to cancel allotment of a coal block to the state, officials said.

"We met Jaiswal and requested him to consider the coal ministry's decision to cancel the coal block. The minister has assured us that he will consider our request," Munda told reporters after meeting the coal minister in New Delhi.

According to officials of the Chief Minister's Office here, Jaiswal has asked Munda to send a request letter on the issue.

Munda has also written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the matter.

The Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) was allocated a coal block in the state in 2006 for its thermal power plants. However, the board has yet to start mining in the block.

Last year, the coal ministry issued notice to the JSEB to know whether or not it wanted the block.

After the board failed to give a satisfactory reply, the ministry cancelled the allotment last month.

The coal block is significant for Jharkhand as the state produces less than 30 percent of its required electricity.