2 yrs have elapsed since state had demanded free power in Sep 2010 but Centre is yet to respond

Odisha is sore over the Centre's apathy towards its demand for allocation of free power from coal-fired power plants and power generated from coal washery based rejects. Two years have elapsed since the state had demanded free power in September 2010 but the Centre is yet to respond. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had sought the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union minister for power for allocation of free power.

Minister accuses developers of submitting incomplete plans

New Delhi The government is unlikely to take up the National Food Security Bill in the winter season of Parliament as the panel examining the proposed law had to be reconstituted as its tenure had lapsed.

The National Food Security Bill, 2011, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha by food minister KV Thomas in the winter session last year, was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee chaired by Vilas Muttemwar for approval.

Kolkata The Coal India (CIL) board has given the management the green signal to step up acquisition of foreign coal mines. Acquiring mines abroad is necessary since coal production at home will fall far of short of demand.

The gap between the power sector’s requirement and domestic coal supplies has been estimated at 292 million tonne in the 12th Plan period ending FY17. The Planning Commission has set a target of 76,000 mw of power capacity to be added in the 12th Plan over the current installed capacity of 1,82,689 mw. The Planning Commission points out that coal supply domestically from CIL and Singerani Collierieswill be only 450 mt, by the end of the 12th Plan period, against a total requirement of 842 mt.CIL has set itself a production target of 556 mt by 2016-17; so, supply to the power sector could be a maximum of 415 mt.

In view of the growing supply deficit of coal, the Planning Commission has suggested spinning off Coal India’s subsidiaries into separate entities so that each one of them can pursue its own goals.

“The industry would be better served if the subsidiaries were spun off as separate public sector companies encouraged to develop their own strategies of coal development including joint venture activities and acquisition of assets abroad,” said the 12th Five-Year (2012-17) Plan document.

A study finds that institutional support alone cannot help reduce maternal mortality in India.

PANJIM: Two days ago, the Manohar Parrikar government went for Rs 200 crore market borrowing, which it says would be utilized for infrastructure development and social sector schemes.

The proposed National Investment Approval Board (NIAB) will help speed up environmental, forest and other statutory clearances for “nationally important” large projects and likely pull the economy

New Delhi: The proposed National Investment Approval Board (NIAB) will help speed up environmental, forest and other statutory clearances for “nationally important” large projects and likely pull t

The Planning Commission on Tuesday pitched for privatisation of coal mining, saying the government should have a consistent policy for the energy sector, as third-party sale is allowed for petroleum and natural gas in the country.

“To my mind, the logic is very clear that it should be allowed (for coal),” Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told reporters on the sidelines of the SKOCH Summit in New Delhi.