Govt inks allotment pact with West Bengal Power Development Corp for a coal block

The coal ministry on Monday inked an agreement with West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd for allotment of Deocha Pachami Dewanganj-Harinsingha coal block.

The project is expected to address the immediate and future coal and power requirements of the region.

"The central government entered into an allotment agreement with the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) regarding the Deocha Pachami Dewanganj-Harinsingha coal block today," the coal ministry said in a statement.

In accordance with the provisions of Coal Block Allocation Rules, 2017, made under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, 1957, the WBPDCL has been allocated the the coal block located in West Bengal containing an area of 12.28 sq km with estimated reserves of 2102 million tonnes (MT) for power generation.

The project is slated to generate both direct and indirect employment in West Bengal considerably and also contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.

Further, the project envisages to address the immediate as well as the forthcoming coal and power requirements of the region.

The allotment agreement was signed by Coal Deputy Secretary Ram Shiromani Saroj and WBPDCL Director (Regulatory Affairs) Amit Bhattacharyya, in presence of Coal Secretary Sumanta Chadhuri and WBPDCL Chairman/Managing Director P B Salim.