Bids being evaluated for consultant to study CIL restructuring

Bids by seven firms are being considered by a committee

Bids by seven firms for the appointment of a consultant to study the restructuring of Coal India (CIL) are being considered by a committee, Parliament was informed today.

 

"Ministry of Coal has floated an expression of interest (EOI) for engaging consultants for restructuring of CIL...Seven companies submitted the technical and financial bids...The bids of the companies are under evaluation by the committee constituted for such purposes," Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said in a reply to the Rajya Sabha.

 

"Out of 17 applications received in response to the EOI, nine companies were shortlisted and the request for proposal was issued to them," Jaiswal said.

 

The Coal Ministry has proposed instituting a study on CIL restructuring in line with recommendations of the T L Shankar Committee on Road Map for Coal Sector Reforms, he said.

 

"Based on the report of the consultancy organisation, government will take a final view on the issue in consultation with all stakeholders," the minister said.

 

Amid a growing shortage of coal, the Planning Commission had earlier suggested spinning off CIL subsidiaries into separate entities so that each could pursue its own goals.

 

CIL has seven subsidiaries, including Bharat Coking Coal Ltd, Central Coalfields Ltd and Eastern Coalfields Ltd. The coal producer has more than 3.5 lakh employees.

 

The Coal Ministry had recently said the gap between demand and supply of coal, which touched 135 million tonnes last fiscal, may reach 140 million tonnes in 2013-14.