Coal news and updates

Cong wants coal Bill sent to House panel

The Congress is set to raise the red flag over certain provisions in the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, which was introduced in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, and would demand that it be referred to a Standing Committee.

The Congress stance on the Bill is unlikely to come in the way of its passage in Lok Sabha, but the Bill could run into trouble in Rajya Sabha where the government is in a minority. A section of the Congress MPs are not in favour of allowing passage of key reforms Bill passed in Parliament even if they were brought in by the UPA government.

For instance, a section of the Congress members in Rajya Sabha are against extending support to the BJP government to pass the Insurance Bill in the present session.

As far as The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2014 to auction coal blocks to power, steel and cement producing companies, the Congress believes it was in effect backdoor denationalization of the coal sector.

“In general, the purpose of the Bill is acceptable. But there is a hidden agenda, which is privatisation through the backdoor. We will ask it to be sent to the standing committee,” Congress whip in Lok Sabha K C Venugopal told The Indian Express.

Source: The Indian Express