Jharkhand CM Soren asks Coal India to pay Rs 56,000 cr outstanding dues

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday asked Coal India for immediate payment of Rs 56,000 crore outstanding dues in lieu of government land allotted to it for mining.

A delegation of domestic coal giant, headed by its Chairman and Managing Director, Pramod Agrawal had called on Soren here.

Coal India, the world's largest dry-fuel miner accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic production.

"In the course of the meeting, Chief Minister Hemant Soren asked the CIL Chairman to initiate steps for immediate payment of Rs 56,000 crore by Coal India to Jharkhand in lieu of land allotted to it for mining," a state government spokesperson said after the meeting.

The chief minister also stressed that the behemoth should start paying royalty on coal to the state on ad valorem basis.

Soren also asked Agrawal to ensure extensive plantation work in the area where mining takes place besides coming forward to work towards health sector including suggestions on operation of Super Specialty Hospital by CCL.

Expressing serious concern over slow progress in Jharia rehabilitation work, the CM urged for expediting it.

Meanwhile, a statement from the state government said that the Chairman assured the CM to consider the issues raised in a positive manner.

Agrawal urged Soren to solve problems related to land pertaining to ECL's Rajmahal project, land verification of CCL, forest lease etc besides ensuring smooth transportation of coal in Amrapali project.

The chief minister assured to consider the demands positively, the statement said.

Chief Secretary, Jharkhand Sukhdev Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rajiv Arun Ekka, Secretary to Chief Minister Vinay Kumar Choubey, Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Eastern Coalfields PS Mishra and CCL CMD P M Prasad were also present on the occasion.

Coal India Limited (CIL) is the single largest coal producer in the world and one of the largest corporate employer with manpower of 272445 (as on 1st April, 2020).

CIL functions through its subsidiaries in 84 mining areas spread over eight (8) states of India including Jharkhand.

CIL has seven producing subsidiaries namely Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL)and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) and One mine planning and consultancy company that is Central Mine Planning $@$# Design Institute (CMPDI).

In addition, CIL has a foreign subsidiary in Mozambique namely Coal India Africana Limitada (CIAL). The mines in Assam i.e. North Eastern Coalfields is managed directly by CIL.