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Non-statutory regulator for coal through executive order

A non-statutory regulator for the coal sector will be set up through an executive order as enacting a legislation on the subject will take some time, Parliament was informed today.

The bill for setting up a Regulator for the sector is pending before Parliament.

"The competent authority has...decided that a non- statutory Regulator to be set up through an executive order as enactment of legislation would take some time," Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said in a reply to the Lok Sabha.

He said that based on the recommendations of various committees, the Coal Ministry appointed a consultant to draft the Coal Regulatory Authority Bill for regulating as well as conserving resources in the sector and protecting the interests of coal consumers and producers.

Draft Bill on Regulator for the coal sector was circulated to all the ministries and departments concerned, seeking their views, he said.


"After consideration of the comments received from different ministries/departments and taking them into account, the draft Bill, 2012 was prepared and submitted for the consideration of the competent authority and it was decided to refer the same to the Group of Ministers (GoM)," Jaiswal said.

The GoM held five meetings and a draft Bill, 2013 with changes as per the discussions held in GoMs was finalised with consultations with the Law Ministry.


"The same was approved by the competent authority on June 27, 2013. The Ministry of Coal has introduced the Coal Regulatory Authority Bill, 2013 in the Lok Sabha on December 13, 2013," he said.

Source: PTI