New Delhi The government proposes to constitute an empowered group of officials along the lines of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) as a single-window mechanism for granting statutory clearances to coal mining projects.

The purpose is to facilitate and expedite approval process and step up coal production in the country. Though composition of the proposed body is yet to be finalised, sources said the ministries of environment, coal, power and steel as well as concerned state governments would be represented on the panel. The group would periodically take up individual cases referred to it and would take decisions in a time-bound manner.