Continuing with the critical review of the development of coal sector, the Coal Ministry has summoned around 35 companies holding 47 cola blocks on Thursday for review of the progress made by them during the current year and in the given time frame.
Among the companies that have been asked to submit themselves for a review include Hindalco, SAIL, JSPL, Reliance Power’s Sasan UMPP, Jindal Steel, Monnet Ispat, Prakash Industries, GVK Power, Jaiprakash Associates, Sunflag Iron & Steel, Electrosteel Castings, Damodar Valley and West Bengal Power Development Corporation.
In a meeting notice issued by the Coal Ministry, it said the Secretary Coal, S.K. Srivastava shall hold a review meeting of captive coal block allocatees whose coal blocks have come under production and whose coal blocks are likely to come under production on December 19. "You (captive coal block allocattees) are requested to kindly attend the meeting alongwith the latest production data and the assessment of production likely to be achieved during the current financial year 2013-14,’’ it said.
Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakashbapu Patil had said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday stated that the production achieved from the captive coal blocks up to October was 21.7 million tonne -- 13.6 MT from private companies and 8 MT from government companies. The target fixed for coal production from the captive coal blocks for 2013-14 is 46.15 MT, he added.
Similarly, the Coal Ministry also cancelled the allotment of a coal block in Madhya Pradesh to Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Monnet Ispat & Energy Ltd as they failed to develop it. "The companies have failed to develop the same (coal blocks) as per the milestones prescribed without any valid reasons for the delay, it has been decided to de-allocate the Urtan North coal block in the state of Madhya Pradesh allocated to Jindal Steel & Power Ltd and Monnet Ispat & Energy Ltd,’’ the Ministry said in a letter dispatched on Tuesday.
The Ministry also clarified that further said that the companies will not be eligible for allocation of any coal block in lieu of deallocated block. ''Order regarding deduction and encashment of proportionate BG (Bank Guarantee) linked to the milestones set for development of the block as per the allocation letter would be issued separately after receipt of calculation of amount from the office of coal controller,’’ the letter added.
The decision was taken after the inter-ministerial group's (IMG) recommendation for de-allocation of block. The coal block was allocated to both the firms in 2009 to meet the requirement of their sponge iron plants.
