UP asks Centre to provide quality coal

CM Akhilesh Yadav says proper supply of coal will increase power generation in UP and the state will be in a situation to supply surplus power to other states

Amid ongoing spat between the Centre and Akhilesh Yadav Government over ‘non-cooperation’ in solving the power crises, the chief minister on Wednesday asked the Centre to ensure that the state gets good quality and sufficient coal supply to solve the problem.

“What has the state, which gave maximum number of Lok Sabha seats to the party, got in return? Has the quota of power from the central pool increased? Has the quantity of coal being supplied to the state increased?” the chief minister asked.

Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal had on Sunday said non-cooperation of the Uttar Pradesh government and poor law and order situation were responsible for the crisis in the state.

"How can power be supplied if there is no coal supply? What we are getting is wet coal," Akhilesh said, adding that the centre should make some arrangements.

He said the previous state government had signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding for power generation and the SP Government was extending them with the hope that the Centre would increase supply of coal.

On the Narendra Modi Government completing 100 days in Government, Akhilesh said, "Though the Government has completed only 100 days in office and it should be given time, but a number of questions were raised during the elections about scams like coal-block allocation.

"It is too early to say anything because six months is considered to be a gestation period, it is my appeal as well that if coal is properly supplied then power generation in UP will increase and the state will be in a situation to supply surplus power to other states," he said.

The Union Power minister had said that it was "unfortunate" that despite of having 71 MPs from the state, the power problem in their areas due to non-cooperation of the state government could not be solved.

The minister, however, said he did not want to do any politics on the issue and wanted to extend all possible help to the state to tackle the problem.