The government has put 23 big-ticket power projects, which were stalled for want of fuel supply linkages and environmental clearances on fast track.

Coal India (CIL) faces an unprecedented task. The miner may now have to act as a bank for storing surplus coal produced from the captive mines of private power companies. The coal so banked, would be returned to the companies once their power projects are commissioned.

On the recommendation of the Planning Commission, the government has formed a high-level committee to explore the possibility of introducing a “coal banking system”.

Amid delays in mine allocations in the wake of controversies shrouding the sector, coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Friday announced the government would allocate 14 coal blocks to state-run firms within a week.

"I am happy to announce that the coal blocks allocation to government firms (14 mines) will be completed within a week,"Jaiswal said.

However, pricing rights to remain with state-owned monopoly Coal India

The government has approved setting up a regulator for the coal sector that will prescribe principles for price determination of the fuel while pricing rights remain with state-owned monopoly Coal India.

Two former officials questioned; T.K.A. Nair’s statement to be recorded

After procedural wrangles were ironed out, the CBI’s probe into Coalgate has now reached the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and its officials.
Investigators have recorded statements of two former PMO officials, questioning them as witnesses in the questionable allocation of coal blocks, sources in the CBI said on Tuesday.

kolkata : The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has asked Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) to obtain prospecting licence for getting easy forest and environment clearances, crucial for increasing exploration activity for identifying new mineable coal reserves.

India, at present, has an estimated proven coal reserve of 118 billion tonne, expected to last 100 years, but CMPDI has to identify mineable coal reserves ahead of the two Plan periods.

The Coal Ministry has informed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that out of the 69 power plants which are yet to enter into fuel supply pacts with state-run Coal India Ltd (CIL), 29 cases belong t

JSPL, Tata Power, Monnet Power, Jindal Photo in the dock

The Ministry of Coal (MoC) has issued showcause notices to two more coal blocks in Odisha over delay in developing the mines, continuing its crackdown on non-serious allocatees.

Both required fresh clearance as coal availability was an issue

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Environment and Forests Ministry has reiterated its recommendation, given three years ago, for granting environmental clearance for the Rs. 8,400-crore Udangudi supercritical thermal power project.

Faced with prospects of a continued decline in economic activity, a tumbling rupee and falling investor interest, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday directed the fast-tracking of infrastruct