Planning Commission may call separate NDC on coal linkage problem

Faced with massive coal shortages, which has hampered India’s power production, the Planning Commission is likely to call a full-fledged meeting of the National Development Council (NDC), represented by all-states and union territories to sort out issues related to coal linkages and shortages.

If approved, this would be among the rare occasions when a NDC meeting is called even before the mid-term review of a five-year plan.

“The idea was discussed during a recent meeting between the Planning Commission and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and the Commission was of the view that a special meeting of NDC should be called to sort out coal linkages issues and power problem,” the official said.

After the last meeting of NDC was held in 2012, Planning Commission officials had assured states that their concerns over shortage of coal will be dealt at the highest level; however, nothing much has moved since then.

India faced a shortage of around 135 million tonne of coal in 2012-13 financial year.

States complain that power capacity of around 20,000-25,000 MW is lying idle because of inadequate coal supplies as issues related to linkages and allocation of new coal blocks have been struck. Recently, the Bihar government complained to the Prime Minister after coal linkage to two new units under the Barauni Thermal Power Station was denied by the union coal ministry.