The Haryana Cabinet today increased the fee for grant of mining lease from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000, whereas fee for application for transfer of mining lease has also been increased from Rs 100 to Rs 20,000. The Cabinet also took significant decisions to exempt renewable energy power projects from any CLU charges and increased educational qualification of gram sachivs from matric to Plus Two. It also approved revised criteria for allotting 100 square yard plots to SCs and BPL families. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda presided over the meeting.

The Indian and Sri Lankan governments have come to a final agreement on the construction of a 500 MW coal-based power plant at Sampur in the Trincomalee district. With an investment of 500 million US dollars, the project will be implemented by a joint venture company of which India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Sri Lanka's Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) hold equal stakes with a debt/equity ratio of 70:30.

There will be some relief from power cuts this summer, as 15 per cent more power will be available in the state as compared to last year. Stating this, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Power) Ashok Lavasa said the extra power would be arranged by way of bilateral arrangements made with other states, including Himachal Pradesh, J&K and Madhya Pradesh.

India has finally agreed to locate a 500-MW coal-based plant of the National Thermal Power Corporation at Sampur town in Sri Lanka's Trincomalee district. According to reliable sources, New Delhi's decision was conveyed to the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. Though the two countries signed an agreement in December 2006, there was no unanimity on the plant location.

The Chhabra super thermal power station under construction in Baran district of Rajasthan crossed an important milestone on Wednesday with the successful completion of the boiler's hydraulic test in the first unit of 250 MW capacity. The unit is scheduled to start power production in August this year. The super thermal power project, being constructed in Chowki Motipura village, will initially comprise two units of 250 MW each. The second unit is likely to be functional by November this year.

China, Australia Agree On Climate Cooperation AUSTRALIA: April 14, 2008 CANBERRA - Australia and China have agreed to hold annual ministerial talks on climate change and to work together to clean up carbon pollution from coal-fired power stations, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Friday. The Mandarin-speaking Rudd made the announcement in Beijing on Friday after talks a day earlier with China's Premier Wen Jiabao, saying both countries needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which are blamed for global warming.

Green Groups Oppose World Bank's India Coal Plant US: April 9, 2008 WASHINGTON - Environmental groups called on the World Bank to delay a decision on Tuesday on funding for a $4.2 billion coal-fired power plant in India until more analyses of costs and environmental impact are done. In a letter to the United States representative at the World Bank, Whitney Debevoise, six environmental groups said the bank could not effectively fight climate change while also funding high carbon-emitting projects, such as the 4,000 megawatt Tata Mundra coal project in Gujarat state.

The Nevyeli Lignite Corporation has surpassed its previous records during 2007-08 in lignite production and electricity generation.

The construction of the coal-based 750mw Thermal Power Project at Salakati in Kokrajhar district at the site of the existing non-operational Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station (BTPS) of NTPC is progress