No shortage of coal for power plants, says govt

Bhubaneswar, June 19: Union coal secretary Anil Swarup has assured that there would be no shortage of coal for power plants in the country. While stating that the total coal production in the country touched 450 million tonne last year, he said the Odisha-based Mahanadi Coalfield Ltd, a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd, is expected to produce 150 mt of coal this fiscal, clocking a growth rate of 14% as compared to 120 mt last fiscal.

The coal secretary was dispelling the apprehension of the state government that its power projects would suffer due to non-allotment of coal blocks.

The Odisha state government has asked for two coal blocks, Chendipada I and II, on nomination route for the 2,400 MW power project of the state-owned Odisha Ther mal Power Corporation at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district.

Swarup, who was here on Wednesday, reviewed the status of the proposed 11 coal projects which are getting delayed due to problem in land acquisition, stage-II forest clearances, forest diversions, rehabilitation and resettlement of the displaced people. The 11 coal projects comprise the Jagannath, Bharatpur, Kulda, Siarmal, Bhubaneswari, Lingaraj, Balaram, Hingula, Kaniha and Ananta open cast mines (OCPs) and Talabira-1 Coal Block.

Swarup said when these mines are explored and put on auction, Odisha would get about Rs 45,000 crore in the next 25 to 30 years.

Stating that Odisha would get the amount only when mines are explored, Swarup said if there are more reserves of coal, the state would get more revenue. Fe Bureau

Odisha-based Mahanadi Coalfield, a subsidiary of Coal India, is expected to produce 150 mt of coal this fiscal, clocking a growth rate of 14% on the production of 120 mt last fiscal

Coal production in the country touched 450 million tonne last year