Project marks CIL's foray into power sector, will take proposal to board in few months

Barely a week after Finance Minister P Chidambaram proposed a public-private partnership (PPP) model in coal, Australian mining major NRW has evinced interest in the same, according to sources. NRW is one of the leading providers of construction and mining services with a turnover $1.35 billion in 2011-12.

Yet to achieve financial closure for project because of pending draft agreement

The West Bengal government has upped the ante against JSW Steel and charged it with delaying the Salboni steel and power project. At Rs 35,000 crore, the investment for the project is the largest in the state. Questioning JSW's intentions, Partha Chatterjee, West Bengal industry minister, today said if the company continued to dilly-dally, it could be asked to return the land. "I am fed up with the company. It seems they have no intention of taking the project forward. We have waited enough. They have been talking about the iron ore problem. But that is not the state government's responsibility. They are raising one issue after another," Chatterjee said.

In the absence of transport network and faster envt clearances, benefits will be limited

After nearly 40 years of state ownership, the chorus of support for privatisation of coal mines is growing louder. With the economy ravenously short of coal to fire its power plants, and the state-owned Coal India Limited (CIL), which has a near monopoly in the sector, failing to meet the ever increasing demand from industry, the cause of privatisation is gathering strength.

To unlock about 80 acres of premium land in Kolkata, held by four state-owned transport companies

The cash-strapped West Bengal government plans to unlock idle land in prime locations, owned by various state-run transport agencies, to raise needed revenue. The state Cabinet has approved a proposal in this regard to sell or lease land in the city and neighbouring areas, lying idle with four state-owned transport agencies — Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC), Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC), South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) and West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation (WBSTC).

The West Bengal government may move court against Hindustan Motors (HM) to seek compensation of Rs 200 crore on grounds that the sale of land at the company’s Uttarpara plant was a loss to the state exchequer.

Following a state vigilance inquiry into the alleged irregularities by the C K Birla Group automobile company in selling 314 acres of excess land at the plant in Hooghly district, the state government has put its demand for Rs 200 crore in compensation from the company.