The Coal Ministry has written to the Cabinet Committee on Investments (CCI) for streamlining granting of clearances by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for various coal mining projects in the country.

The Coal Ministry has asked the CCI to consider parallel processing of environmental clearance (EC) and forest clearance (FC) for coal projects as in the case of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) projects. “Further, the issue of enhanced borehole density for exploration in forest areas without the need for seeking prior EC needs to be resolved urgently,” the Coal Ministry note states.

The Central government's mines safety arm has cautioned West Bengal that construction of an airport city in the state's Burdwan district can be in trouble if the government allows simultaneous unde

Odisha yet to furnish its compliance to the Coal ministry with respect to illegal coal mining

Amid ongoing probe by the M B Shah commission of enquiry into illegal mining in Odisha, the Ministry of coal has urged the state government to take appropriate action to curb illegal coal mining. "The observations and recommendations regarding farming of specific rules by the state to prevent/control of illegal mining and also formation of the task force with regular reporting system would be relevant and applicable for the coal sector also.

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.

After deregulating diesel prices, the government may now propose to rationalise the price of thermal coal, used as fuel for power generation. If implemented, the proposed policy move could lead to a significant hike in domestic coal prices for generating stations and force them to increase tariff.

On Tuesday, the railways had announced its plan to adopt fuel price-linked freight charges, which would lead to a 5-6% jump in coal transportation costs. The Economic Survey 2012-13 tabled in Parliament on Wednesday stressed on the need for adopting market-based pricing for all energy products.

The coal ministry feels that the railway ministry has taken a view of expediting the process of laying tracks to connect coal mines since it has been for the first time that a railway minister has mentioned such a project in his budget speech.

Plans for coal mine connectivity projects were conceived a decade ago but the railways never took it as priority. “The railway ministry has shown its seriousness about the need to evacuate additional coal and for this the plan to invest in coal mine-linking projects is important,” Sriprakash Jaiswal, coal minister told Fe.

Of the 92 major power projects reviewed by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for their fuel position, 54 are facing “acute coal shortage”, which is resulting in inadequate power supply/blackouts in various parts of the country, crippling of industrial output and impact on households.

Blame this not only on the stagnation in India’s coal output and a widening demand-supply gap for the fuel, but also on the Centre’s standing linkage committees (SLCs).

State PSU to challenge de-allocation of Baitarani west coal block

The Odisha Hydro Power Corporation ( OHPC) is set to file a petition in the Odisha High Court, challenging the order of the Ministry of Coal on de-allocation and invocation of 50 per cent bank guarantee in respect of Baitarani west coal block. The coal block was jointly allocated to OHPC and two PSUs of other states – Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd (GPCL) and Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).