Coal news and updates

 

The government is working in the direction of setting up of a strong coal regulator for the sector and is in the process of making a framework for the body.

 

Announcing the 100-day achievement, minister of state for power and coal also said the financial restructuring of the sick electricity boards and e-auction of coal to provide fuel is in the process. The government is also targeting coal production of about 1 billion tonnes of by 2019, in order to power the thermal power plants.

 

"The Coal Regulatory Authority proposed earlier was a toothless and non-statutory body. We want a strong regulator and are working out the framework for it," said Goyal.

 

On the e-auction and de-allocation of the blocks by the Supreme Court, Goyal said, "At the moment, we don't have a Plan B, but for every scenario we are keeping ourselves ready. Whatever the Supreme Court decides on coal block de-allocation, we will ensure that action from our side is implemented immediately," said Goyal.

 

"As regards the e-auctioning, it is a primary part of the whole process of providing coal and we will respect that," he added.

 

Deen Dayal Upadyay Gram Yojana in which Rs 43,000 crore will be invested for rural feeder segregation of agricultural and domestic power lines has also been launched by the government. The government has also given a go ahead to the long-term transmission projects worth Rs 12,272 crore after coming to power.

 

The ministry of power said, "Coal-based electricity generation from June to August 2014 grew by a record 21% compared to corresponding period last year. CIL has given an in-principle decision to purchase 250 additional rakes (for Rs 5,000 crore) to evacuate more coal. Moreover, the government is expediting build-out of three critical railway lines in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha, which could potentially yield 60 million tons per annum by 2017-18 and up to 200 million tons by 2021-22. Automatic transfer of linkages is being allowed from old and inefficient plants.

 

 

Source: DNA