Steps taken to increase coal supplies: Minister

New Delhi, Mar 8 (UNI) The Government today said several steps have been taken to augment coal supplies to power utilities including setting up of only mechanised mines and undertaking 97 mining projects for implementation by Coal India Ltd during the Tenth Plan in view of the mismatch in actual supply and demand of coal.

Citing figures, Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayana Rao told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that from 256 million tonnes in 2003-04, demand for coal had gone up to 303.56 million tonnes in 2005-06, while the actual supplies stood at 268.12 million tonnes in 2003-04 and 299.76 million tonnes in 2005-06.

He said the Centre sought to amend the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973 to allow Indian companies both in the public and private sectors to mine coal in the country without the existing restriction of captive mining and to undertake exploration of coal.

To meet the growing requirement of coal, the Government had let Coal India Ltd undertake 97 mining projects for implementation during the Tenth Plan; improved equipment utilisation; timely implementation of projects; all new mines planned with mechanisation; stressed increased productivity in both underground and opencast mines and allotted 123 coal blocks to various private or public companies.

To a query regarding rampant corruption in coal companies, the Minister denied this stating complaints received of specific instances of corruption or irregular activities were attended and investigated by the Vigilance Department of the subsidiary company of CIL.

"Punitive action is initiated against employees found indulging in corrupt practices and irregularities," Mr Rao said and assured the House that preventive vigilance measures were being taken by way of system study, surprise checks and regular inspections.

Regarding pilferage or clandestine mining by miscreants, the Minister said task forces have been constituted at the district and state level in Jharkhand and West Bengal to prevent illegal mining. In addition, the following steps had been taken to install checkposts at vulnerable points, collection of intelligence reports about illegal coal depots and filling up of rat holes with debris and creation of concrete walls on the mouth of abandoned mines.

UNI