Shri Sriprakash Jaiswal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Coal has said that the decommissioning and closure of mines is an important operation at the end of the mining activity from environmental and social point of view, and, therefore, the Ministry has now published and uploaded on the website the guidelines for mine closure for adoption and compliance by companies mining coal. Revealing this at a press Conference in New Delhi today, he said that land reclamation/ restoration activities and environment preservation are the requirement and responsibility of the mine owner towards the society.
Interacting with the media on Coal Ministry’s Action Plan for 100 days, the Minister also informed that the coal consumers now can bid for their coal requirement in advance ranging from three months to one year. This, he said will ensure coal availability to the consumers for a reasonable period of time as per their requirement and at a competitive price. As per the New Coal Distribution Policy (NCDP), Coal India Ltd. (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) are required to offer ten percent of their coal production for distribution/sale through Forward E-Auction. CIL and SCCL had already introduced Spot E-Auction which can be availed by actual consumers as well as traders. Now CIL has started forward E-Auction in WCL on 17/18 August 2009 and ECL has done it on 3rd of September 2009 and the rest are doing it this month. While spot auctions are already there for more than two years, the Forward E-Auction will be a boon for the coal consumers.
The other achievements of the Ministry include the following:
On the subject of supplementing our energy resources, coal gasification has already been declared as an end use in 2007. Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) can bring about substantial coal reserves which are not otherwise amenable to conventional extraction. UCG being still an emerging technology, a set of guidelines has been prepared by Ministry of Coal to facilitate, benefit and guide the new entrepreneurs spearheading this technology in the country.
MOC has obtained CCEA approval for constitution of an Empowered Committee of Secretaries for quick decisions on the proposals for investment abroad which are beyond the financial power of Coal India Ltd., i.e. Rs.1000 crores.
For proper restoration/reclamation of mined-out areas, the satellite imagery-based report provides a very strong tool for the industry and administrative authorities to monitor its progress.. Satellite Imagery reports on land restoration and reclamation for thirty five projects have been completed and the same has been uploaded on the website of the coal companies.
The Barsingsar Mine-cum-Thermal Power Project of NLC in Rajasthan was approved by the Government in December 2004 with an investment of Rs.1368.25 crore. The mining project has been commissioned in June, 2009 as per schedule and the lighting of the First Unit of 125 MW will be done on 11 September, 2009.
The Minister also reaffirmed the commitment of the Government to disinvest 10% of its stake in CIL. Referring to his recent visit to Australia, the Minister said that a possible collaboration with the Australian private coal producers is being considered to meet the growing demand for coal production.
Pursuant to the President’s Address to the Parliament on the 4th June 2009, the Ministry of Coal identified following six tasks for speedy action and completion within 100 days:
· Commencement of “Forward e-auction” for actual consumers for meeting their long-term requirement;
· Publishing guidelines for Mine Closure for adoption by coal companies;
· Publishing guidelines for Underground Coal gasification projects: and
· Securing CCEA approval for setting up of Empowered Committee of Secretaries to consider the proposal of Coal India Limited for investment abroad which are beyond its financial powers of Rs.1000 crore;
· Satellite imagery-based reports on land restoration/reclamation – posting on website (for 35 projects);
· Commissioning of First Unit (125 MW) of the Barsingsar Mine-cum-Thermal Power Project of NLC in Rajasthan.
Interacting with the media on Coal Ministry’s Action Plan for 100 days, the Minister also informed that the coal consumers now can bid for their coal requirement in advance ranging from three months to one year. This, he said will ensure coal availability to the consumers for a reasonable period of time as per their requirement and at a competitive price. As per the New Coal Distribution Policy (NCDP), Coal India Ltd. (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) are required to offer ten percent of their coal production for distribution/sale through Forward E-Auction. CIL and SCCL had already introduced Spot E-Auction which can be availed by actual consumers as well as traders. Now CIL has started forward E-Auction in WCL on 17/18 August 2009 and ECL has done it on 3rd of September 2009 and the rest are doing it this month. While spot auctions are already there for more than two years, the Forward E-Auction will be a boon for the coal consumers.
The other achievements of the Ministry include the following:
On the subject of supplementing our energy resources, coal gasification has already been declared as an end use in 2007. Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) can bring about substantial coal reserves which are not otherwise amenable to conventional extraction. UCG being still an emerging technology, a set of guidelines has been prepared by Ministry of Coal to facilitate, benefit and guide the new entrepreneurs spearheading this technology in the country.
MOC has obtained CCEA approval for constitution of an Empowered Committee of Secretaries for quick decisions on the proposals for investment abroad which are beyond the financial power of Coal India Ltd., i.e. Rs.1000 crores.
For proper restoration/reclamation of mined-out areas, the satellite imagery-based report provides a very strong tool for the industry and administrative authorities to monitor its progress.. Satellite Imagery reports on land restoration and reclamation for thirty five projects have been completed and the same has been uploaded on the website of the coal companies.
The Barsingsar Mine-cum-Thermal Power Project of NLC in Rajasthan was approved by the Government in December 2004 with an investment of Rs.1368.25 crore. The mining project has been commissioned in June, 2009 as per schedule and the lighting of the First Unit of 125 MW will be done on 11 September, 2009.
The Minister also reaffirmed the commitment of the Government to disinvest 10% of its stake in CIL. Referring to his recent visit to Australia, the Minister said that a possible collaboration with the Australian private coal producers is being considered to meet the growing demand for coal production.
Pursuant to the President’s Address to the Parliament on the 4th June 2009, the Ministry of Coal identified following six tasks for speedy action and completion within 100 days:
· Commencement of “Forward e-auction” for actual consumers for meeting their long-term requirement;
· Publishing guidelines for Mine Closure for adoption by coal companies;
· Publishing guidelines for Underground Coal gasification projects: and
· Securing CCEA approval for setting up of Empowered Committee of Secretaries to consider the proposal of Coal India Limited for investment abroad which are beyond its financial powers of Rs.1000 crore;
· Satellite imagery-based reports on land restoration/reclamation – posting on website (for 35 projects);
· Commissioning of First Unit (125 MW) of the Barsingsar Mine-cum-Thermal Power Project of NLC in Rajasthan.
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