Coal India forms joint-ventures for Talcher colliery revival

State-run Coal India Ltd (CIL) Tuesday said it is embarking upon two joint-ventures to revive the Talcher coalfield in Odisha.

The first joint-venture will be formed between CIL and GAIL, both state-run companies for coal gasification project and the second joint venture will be with Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd, another state-run company.

The coal gasification project follows the meeting between Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar in Delhi last Wednesday.

Apart from the revival plan of the Talcher coalfield, the revival of the closed unit of the Fertilizer Corporation of India Ltd of Gorakhpur and the Hindustan Fertilisers Corporation Ltd unit of Barauni also came up for detailed discussion.

The petroleum minister said his ministry has decided to give gas for the Gorakhpur fertilizer unit for its immediate revival. He also informed the meeting that preparations will also be made for setting up the gas pipeline for the revival of Barauni plant.

According to Geological Survey of India, the Talcher coalfield has reserves of 38.65 billion tonnes, the highest in India. It covers an area of 500 sq km, however, the coal is of lower grade containing only about 35 percent of fixed carbon, 40 percent volatile matter and 25 percent ash content.

Coal was discovered in the Talcher coalfields in 1837.