Ensure CIL starts coal production at alloted mines: Par Panel

Dismayed over the slow pace of development at 119 mines allocated to Coal India Ltd, a Parliamentary panel has asked the government to "act swiftly" and ensure that CIL starts production there.

     
"The Committee are...Dismayed to note that project report in respect of only two blocks (of the 119 alloted to CIL) have been prepared and work for preparation of project report of 16 blocks is reported to be taken up during 12th Plan period.

     
"With such a slow pace of work, the committee are unable to understand when the actual production from these coal blocks allocated to CIL will be started," the Standing Committee on Coal and Steel said in its report tabled in Parliament yesterday.

     
The panel has also asked both the Coal Ministry and Coal India Ltd to act swiftly, ensuring that the mines alloted to CIL begin production.

     
"The Committee would like to be apprised of a perspective plan for development of these blocks," it said.

     
The Coal Ministry had allocated the coal blocks to CIL in July last year. However, the 'Maharatna' firm had asked for 138 mines for exploitation in 2007.

     
The report said: "Initially in 1993 and 1999, coal blocks were identified for captive mining after taking approval of Coal India Ltd board.

     
"Subsequently in 2006 with the objective of improving the availability of power, 81 coal blocks were reserved for Coal India for production during 12th plan period and beyond aggregating to 20 BT (billion tonnes) of reserves were de-reserved and allocated to power developers for captive mining."