Coal news and updates

Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) would invest Rs 29,239 crore in coal and power sectors during the 12th five year plan, said Union coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal. 

 

Speaking to the members of a parliamentary consultative committee in New Delhi on Wednesday, he said the corporation would invest Rs 26,728 crore in power projects and Rs 2,510 crore in coal projects. NLC will expand a number of ongoing projects which include mines at Neyveli and Barsingsar in Rajasthan and power plant at Tuticorin during the period. 

 

The corporation plans to setup a wind farm with the investment of Rs 364.75 crore and solar power project at a cost of Rs 13,319 crore. The corporation has been already working on the Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) Projects. 

 

He revealed that the UCG project at Raneri in Rajasthan would be taken up through a suitable developer through competitive bidding while the projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat would be implemented jointly with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). 

 

He said lignite production in the country would reach 290.16 metric tonne by 2016-17. 

 

MPs who participated in the discussion suggested that Coal India Ltd and its subsidies should improve safety measures to make industries free of mining accidents and to check theft of coal. They demanded that coal companies should consult local elected representatives, including MPs, during the planning of relief and rehabilitation projects. 

 

MPs Hemant Biswal, Pashupatinath Singh, Somabhai G Patel, Rojen Gohain, Devidhan Besra, Ravindra Kumar Pandey, Ram Kripal Yadav and K Rajgopal Reddy attended the meeting. 

 

 

Source: ToI