The board of Coal India Ltd (CIL), which met here on Thursday, has approved a first-ever proposal to import coal. Initially, about four million tonnes of coal is proposed to be imported. CIL is billed as the world’s single-largest coal producing company.

“A mandate has been received to import coal,” a source said adding that another public sector company, MMTC, would do the tendering on behalf of CIL. On its part, CIL will go ahead with the entire proposal only after receiving a firm commitment from the power utilities.