Policy on surplus coal usage may be finalised by Nov-end

The government has set up a three-member panel to look into issues related to utilisation of surplus coal from captive blocks

The policy on the use of surplus coal from captive coal block is likely to be finalised by the end of November this year.

The "publication of the policy" on surplus coal and washery rejects from the captive mines may take place by November 30, the Coal Ministry said in an official document.

This follows the Coal Ministry stating yesterday that it has prepared a draft policy on utilisation of surplus coal from captive mines.

"We have prepared a policy (draft) on surplus coal and have circulated it (to the ministries for comments)," Coal Secretary S K Srivastava had said, adding that a Committee of Secretaries will examine it.

Recently, the government had set up a three-member panel headed by Planning Commission Member B K Chaturvedi to look into issues related to utilisation of surplus coal from captive blocks.

The Committee comprises of Srivastava, among others.

The panel will look into implications, legal issues and mechanisms with regard to usage of surplus coal from captive mines.

The Power Ministry had also earlier suggested to the Coal Ministry to incentivise surplus coal production from captive mines in a bid to produce more coal in the backdrop of its shortage in the country.

Domestic coal demand stood at 772.84 million tonnes (MT) against production of 557.60 MT last fiscal, according to official data.

The demand-supply gap of coal is mainly met by imports from countries such as Indonesia, South Africa and Australia.

The deficit of about 204 MT had resulted in doubling of the coal import bill at about $18 billion in 2012-13.

C Rangarajan, Chairman of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, had said that higher coal imports were having a bearing on the current account deficit of the country, which touched a record high of 6.7% of the GDP in December quarter of 2012-13.