Coal news and updates

Centre should hike coal royalty to 20%: Soren

Chief Minister Hemant Soren today demanded that the Central government should increase the royalty given to Jharkhand for coal mining from the present 14 per cent to 20 per cent.

He said the Central government should also provide compensation to the state in lieu of acquisition of government land for coal mining by companies.

Soren, speaking during a high level meeting with the Union Minister of State for Coal and Energy Piyush Goyal at Project Building, said the state government was deprived of the compensation benefits against land acquisition cases.

He said the National Coal Mines had not renewed its lease despite passage of 30 years. Despite the delay in lease renewal, mining is still on in the state, he said.

Addressing the issue of restructuring of royalty, the CM said the royalty was 21 per cent in the year 1994. In the year 2012, the rate fell down to 14 per cent, he said, adding that the rate should be increased.

The MoS said the Central government was ready to extend every possible support and cooperation to the state government on the compensation, royalty and other issues related to coal mining, land acquisition and energy sector.

Source: The Avenue Mail