Bring objectivity, transparency in mines allocation: Par panel

There is a serious need to bring objectivity and transparency in allocating mines in the wake of Supreme Court's cancelling 204 coal blocks, a Parliamentary Panel has said.
Besides, it has expressed concern over rising imports to meet the gap in supply and demand for domestic coal.
"The Ministry also need to seriously address the aspect of bringing about objectivity and transparency in the allocation of coal blocks particularly in the wake of Supreme Court judgement cancelling allocation of coal blocks," said a report of the Standing Committee on Coal and Steel tabled in Parliament today.
The panel further said that ensuring a sustainable increase in domestic production commensurate with increasing domestic demand is of paramount importance.

With coal imports likely to touch 185 MT in 2016-17, the Committee noted the increasing financial burden on the exchequer and urged the government to seriously address various constraints impeding offtake of domestic production and capacity expansion.
The country imported 168.4 MT of coal in 2013-14 and 145.8 MT in 2012-13.
The Committee observed the strategic importance of coal in the country's energy security with over 50 per cent of the primary energy supply and over 70 per cent of coal production/ supply going for power generation.
In September, the Supreme Court quashed allocation of 204 out of 218 coal blocks alloted to various companies since 1993 terming it as "fatally flawed".