Coal news and updates

MCL allots Rs 1,746 cr for land acquisition till 2020

Plagued with recurrent land hassles, Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) has chalked out a plan to de-bottleneck land acquisition and earmarked an investment of Rs 1,746 crore for the next 5 years.

“Land acquisition at MCL has been a major impediment towards progress. With an average low stripping ratio, MCL is going to be the highest coal producing company in India. MCL is marching ahead to de-bottleneck land acquisition and R&R issues and various clearances which are essential for facilitating mining activities,” company Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) A K Jha told ICMW.

“With our wide spectrum of CSR activities, we have gained the trust of affected people as MCL has always been supportive of their development. MCL is providing speedy remunerations and employment to lessen the severity of change but there is scarcity of R&R sites as the state government is unable to provide suitable land for the purpose, particularly in the Talcher Coalfields,” he said.

“By 2020, the estimated cost of land acquisition for upcoming projects will be around Rs 1,746 crore,” he added.