PowerMin for coal regulator

Asking the Cabinet secretary to convene a meeting of the committee of secretaries to consider the case of coal shortage, the ministry has also pushed for allowing private sector in coal mining besides enlarging the scope of captive mining. Private sector entry into coal mining requires an amendment to the Coal Mining Nationalisation Act.

The power ministry does not see the option of importing coal as a long-term solution since the prevailing price of imported coal does not warrant its extensive usage.

In its note to the Cabinet secretariat, the power ministry has also said shortages should not be used as a justification for unilateral increases without serious efforts to reduce the demand-supply gap through increased supply.

The ministry also proposed that mine development plan of the seven subsidiaries of CIL should be in line with the expansion plans of various stakeholders like power and steel plants.