Ranchi, Feb. 4: Senior officials of Hindalco Industries called on chief minister Raghubar Das today to discuss early operationalisation of the two coal blocks allotted to the company after auctioning.

Sources said Das assured the Aditya Birla group company officials - Mumbai-based head of mines Pradeep Undey and B Majumdar, joint president R.P. Sharma and Jharkhand coal block in-charge Ramesh Mohan - that his government would extend all possible help to begin operations at the two coal blocks namely, Kathautia in Palamau and Dumri in Hazaribagh district.

While Dumri is a schedule III block where production hasn't taken place in the past, Kathautia comes under schedule II category operated by its earlier allottee, Usha Martin.

The major focus now, for both the company as well as the state government, was to begin early operations at Kathautia mines held up over the issue related to its status as "deemed forest land".