Plan panel divided over Tata-Sasol project

There seems to be a serious divide within the Planning Commission over the implementation of the country's first $8-billion coal-to-liquid (CTL) project by the Tata group and its South African partner Sasol. The inter-ministerial group (IMG) headed by Planning Commission member (energy) Kirit Parikh had in February-end, given its consent to the Tata-Sasol project. The Tata group has sought access to 30 million tonne a year of coal for producing 3 million barrels of oil and 1,500 mw of power for the CTL project.