Cabinet nod soon on surplus coal availability policy: Secy

The coal ministry will very soon seek Cabinet approval for a proposed policy that will ensure surplus availability of coal for power plants across the country, a top official said today.
"We are formulating a policy which is likely to be approved by the Cabinet in a week or so...," Coal Secretary Susheel Kumar said.
"That policy is about giving coal to all in the power sector. It's about supply of coal in a surplus scenario to all the power plants," he stressed.
There is no shortage of coal in the country, Kumar asserted, adding that the dry fuel is available adequately.

"We are in a situation where adequate coal is available. The shortage era is over," he said.
The secretary further said many countries, including China and Europe, are moving away from the coal, and "he would not be surprised when a day comes when all international funding for coal-related projects is over".
"With the arrival of (Donald) Trump, the USA may still tolerate coal, but the earlier regime was quite against coal," he said.