Govt imposes bio-fuel import restrictions

NEW DELHI: The government has imposed restriction on import of bio-fuels including ethyl alcohol and other denatured spirits, biodiesel, petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals other than crude, through an amendment main import policy.

The import of these items, which was free earlier, will now only be allowed for non-fuel purpose on actual user basis.

"Import policy of biofuels revised from 'free' to 'restricted' and allowed for non-fuel purpose on actual user basis as per the National Bio-fuel Policy," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

In another notification, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said that the export of beach sand minerals has been brought under state trading enterprise and shall be canalised through Indian Rare Earths Limited.

Export of rare earth compounds classified as beach sand minerals, permitted anywhere in the export policy, will now be regulated. NEW DELHI: Coal India arm CCL says its 17 out of the 21 ongoing mining projects worth Rs 4,095.5 crore are facing delays due to various reasons including non-grant of green clearances.

Of the 21 projects, Parej East and Hurilong projects could not be started due to non-grant of environment and forest clearances, Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) said in its Annual Report 2017-18.

Kalyani open cast project, one of the ongoing projects, will be started after green clearances, it said.

"Of the remaining 18 projects, Amrapali OCP is on schedule and other 17 are delayed due to problems which are broadly classified as authentication of land, forestry clearance and site hand over, environmental, coal evacuation problem, R&R (rehabilitation and resettlement) issues and safety reasons," the report said.

As on March 31, 2018, there were 21 ongoing and 34 completed mining projects under CCL, with sanctioned 112.85 mt capacity

As on March 31, 2018 there are 21 ongoing and 34 completed mining projects under CCL with sanctioned capacity of 112.85 million tonne (MT), it said.

The sanctioned capital for the ongoing and completed projets are Rs 4,095.5 crore and Rs 3,023.21 crore, respectively.

CIL had earlier said there was an urgent need to revisit its one billion tonne output programme following changes in the environmental paradigm and coal demand.