Coal news and updates

MoD asks utilities to apply through MoP for defence clearances

November 27: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has asked all upcoming power projects in India - including thermal, hydel, solar, wind and gas based projects - to approach it through the power ministry (MoP) for getting defence clearances.

"A majority of the applications for defence clearances are submitted to MoD by the companies directly without keeping the nodal ministries…in the picture. It has been decided that the Ministry of Defence will now accept the applications for grant/renewal of defence clearance for construction of power projects (hydel, thermal, solar, wind and gas) through nodal ministries only," an official communiqué by the MoD (to the Ministry of Power and Ministry of New & Renewable Energy) said.

For hydel power projects, companies are advised to furnish details of likely areas getting submerged, number of roads/infrastructure getting affected and plans for reconstructing the same, it added.

Accordingly, the MoP has intimated all the major power companies to apply through the ministry for obtaining defence clearances for respective projects.