JAIPUR: Despite its best efforts, the power sector continues to remain a major cause of concern for the state government.

An environment ministry panel has cleared power projects with total proposed capacity of 5,674 mw. Developers will now need clearance from the environment ministry to start work.

Continuing his emphasis on the power sector, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot presented the Budget on Wednesday while also stressing on social sectors by announcing that pulses, rice and wheat will now be tax-free.

New Delhi: Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh would dilute environmental norms to allow 16 coal projects to take off, coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said on Tuesday.

Jairam Ramesh had not taken a decision by the evening but he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apprising him of the meeting between the two.

Jaipur: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday met Union minister for coal Sriprakash Jaiswal in Delhi and requested him to immediately allot coal linkage and coal blocks for power projects in the state.

During the meeting, the chief minister demanded that the coal blocks allotted to Rajasthan in Chhattisgarh be set aside from

Progress of work in nine major sectors reviewed in the mid-term report
Emphasises optimum utilisation of financial resources during remaining two years of Plan
Calls for adoption of

Jaipur: The Centre for Non-Conventional Energy Resources of University of Rajasthan is organising an International Conference on Renewable Energy (ICRE 2011) from January 17.

Minister's stubborn rules holding back power plants: Gehlot

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said Union minister of environment and forests, Jairam Ramesh's stubborn restrictions on mining were impeding power generation projects in Rajasthan.
Gehlot who has been looking to get back at the Union minister for his unprovoked attacks on state projects, found the opportunity at a programme in