Coal news and updates

IMC on washery rejects allocations makes little progress

January 31: The second meeting of the Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) for formulating a policy on coal and coal rejects allocations for washery-based power plants has, so far, made little progress towards taking a view on finalisation of the same.

"Nothing significant happened at the second meeting of IMC held in Delhi on January 29," a source told ICMW.

"Some suggestions were given by the Additional Secretary (Coal) at the meeting, but nothing significant has emerged so far. The IMC will meet once again to take the issue forward," the source said.

The government is mulling plans to frame a policy on coal rejects against the backdrop of acute fuel shortage in the country. The decision to formulate such a policy was taken on the back of suggestions from the Standing Linkage Committee (Long Term) for power.

The IMC, set up under the chairmanship of the Additional Secretary of Coal, had met for the first time in December 2013. The committee, which has representatives from various ministries, including power, will assess the actual rejects generated from Coal India (CIL) washeries and formulate suitable norms for supply of rejects on a long-term basis from CIL washeries.