Govt already preparing Bill to institutionalise a sector monitor to decide prices, standards not fast enough, suggests Shinde to Jaiswal

Amid the controversy over Coal India Ltd’s (CIL) signing of fuel supply agreements (FSAs) with power companies, the Union power ministry has demanded quick action on a regulator for the coal sector, to decide on allotment and pricing issues, including whether to go ahead with the gross calorific value (GCV) pricing system or not.

At a time when Coal India Ltd (CIL) is being pushed to sign fuel supply agreements (FSAs) with power companies, the state-run firm has said it needs at least 70 project proposals to be cleared in the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2012-17) to meet the demands of customers.

“During the 12th Plan, we have set a target of 615 million tonne (mt) in production. If it needs to be achieved and if we have to meet the demands of all these customers, at least 70 projects with a capacity of about 180 mt need to be cleared. Action has been initiated for this, but it needs to be fast-tracked.

CMD designate says company will do everything to meet the presidential directive

Close to two months after Coal India Ltd (CIL) said it was not in the business of imports, the chairman designate of the world’s largest coal mining company is looking to revisit the option. S Narsing Rao, who takes charge as CMD in two weeks, will do what it takes to meet the presidential directive if the production falls short of demand.

Environment hurdles would make this impossible, say experts

The world’s largest coal producer, Coal India Ltd (CIL), is in a spot of bother. In order to meet the directive from the Prime Minister’s Office to ensure supply for 20 years to power plants of 50,000 mega watt (Mw) that would be commissioned by March 2015, the firm has to produce an additional 220 million tonnes (MT) of coal

“The department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) is ready to come up with guidelines for the industry in a month or two. We are trying to create awareness among small manufacturers of this unorganised sector now. We have already urged all our 600-odd members to adopt non-toxic materials only, and if possible, to recycle toys too,” said Raj Kumar, president of the Toy Association of India (TAI).

In a jolt to West Bengal

Nuclear plantA shock in Fukushima, Japan, was causing fear waves across the world and now even in Sri Lanka, which has no nuclear reactors at all.

Concerned over the nuclear programmes in South India, Sri Lanka has sought India