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New UserWith phenomenal growth in supply of coal, I have become redundant: Anil Swarup, Coal Secretary
21 Nov 2016
Mythili Bhusnurmath, Consulting Editor, ET NOW in a discussion with Anil Swarup, Coal
Secretary and PK Pujari, Power Secretary on how coal and power under one minister has
seen both the sectors performing well. Edited excerpts
Mythili Bhusnurmath: Mr Swarup, I know you are in a far better position than you were two
years ago and you were never under firing line but you were in a very hot seat. The
auctioning process that you have gone through, has been very transparent and very good. In
hindsight, have auctions really been the best way because we do not see that much traction
on the ground as far as the new coal blocks that you have auctioned are concerned?
Anil Swarup: First of all, there was no other better alternative than to auction these coal
mines because that was the only way that we could get the value for a natural resource and
it could go to the right entity. That is one, so there was no other option.
Secondly traction on the ground, let us understand the ground reality as it existed two years
ago and as it exists today. The ground reality two years ago was that there was panic amongst
power generating companies because they were not getting coal, there was shortage of coal
in the country, acute shortage of coal. In I used to get calls from chief ministers, chief
secretaries, I used to fly down at short notice to sit with chief ministers to work out how coal
could be supplied. What has happened in the past two years is there is a phenomenal
growth in supply of coal so much so that I have virtually become redundant. That is how we should be. The ministry also seems to have
come redundant.
Now if that is the scenario then we do not feel the pinch if the mining in the mines that were auctioned were not to the level that I had
probably visualised. But I must tell you that out of the 29 mines that could have been mined, 13 mines are already mining more than 20
million tons of coal. So there is no shortage of coal. So the bottom line is not how much did the coal mines mine but the bottom line is
whether they got the coal that they require. Now if they can get the coal conveniently from Coal India why should they go ahead and
expedite those mining which in any case they are doing. I am not saying that they should not do it. The panic with which it all started, that
is not there any more.
A number of mines are back in the courts of law, once the decision comes we will do it. Fortunately, so far we have won every case that
has gone to the court but it has delayed a few activities.
Mythili Bhusnurmath: One minister looks after both power and coal. Has that in any way made life much easier for the two sectors and is
that the right way to go in other areas also? Agriculture and many other ministries where you have a host of ministries looking after the
same thing and that makes it very much more difficult to coordinate. Is the relative success in power and coal because of the fact that you
do not have those turf battles?
SOurce: ET