CCEA approves opencast expansion of NCL

New Delhi, Sept 13 (UNI) The Government has approved the expansion plan of Nigahi Opencast project of Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) - a subsidiary of the public sector Coal India Ltd (CIL), from 10 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) to 15 MTPA, with an additional investment of Rs 259.40 crore, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said.

He added the decision was taken at the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) meeting held here today.

An incremental coal production capacity of five MTPA by departmental operations and removal of corresponding overburden through outsourcing has also been approved, the Minister said.

CCEA also gave its approval for flexibility in the implementation stage within the approved cost estimates to respond to improvement profitability parameters.

Mr Chidambaram said that the project will provide an additional coal production of five MTPA to meet the requirements of third phase of Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station (STPS) by putting up two units of 500 Mega Watts (MW) to National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

UNI