New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS): The government Wednesday started allocating cancelled coal blocks to state-owned entities and said that it will complete the process by the end of next month.

Addressing the media here, Coal Secretary Anil Swarup said that initially 36 coal block will be allocated and that the entire process would be completed by February end.

"We are issuing notification for allotment of 36 coal blocks. Except one block which will be going for steel sector, rest will be for power sector,” Swarup told reporters here.

According to Swarup, more blocks allocations would follow subsequently, depending on the requests.

“It will depend on the request we receive from the state entities, public sector entities. The ministry is also issuing guidelines for these coal blocks,” Swarup said,

Swarup added that the allocation for schedule II category mines will be auctioned between Feb 14 and Feb 22, while schedule III mines will be allocated between Feb 25 and March 5.