India, Australia sign MoU for collaboration in coal sector

New Delhi, Nov 5 (UNI) India and Australia today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration in the coal sector, which among other things aims to enhance opportunities in two-way trade and investments and eliminate barriers to trade.

The key areas that this Action Plan includes collaboration in Mining Technology Services, Underground Coal Mining, Underground Coal Gasification, Coal to Liquid Technologies, Coal Bed Methane (CBM) Technologies, Coal Washeries, Abandoned Coal Mine Rehabilitation, Sustainable Mining Practices, Skilling, Training and Capacity Building.

The activities envisaged under this Action Plan in the year 2008-09 are encouragement of two-way visits and promotion of information exchanges by Ministers, senior officials, industry delegations, scientists and researchers working on the coal sector, an official statement said here.

Other activities include continued Bi-lateral collaboration on existing projects under the Asia-Pacific Partnership on clean development and climate, coal mining task force and follow-up conference to the bi-lateral Coal and Mining Conference held in February, 2006 and encouragement of attendance at other premier coal related conference in India and Australia.

This Action Plan is formulated under the auspices of the Australia-India Joint Working Group on Minerals and Energy (JWG) and will provide focus to the immediate work of the JWG.

Progress and completion reports under this Action Plan will be delivered at JWG meetings.

This Action Plan can be expanded or amended by mutual consent of the two countries, and any such amendment will be in writing.

However, this Action Plan is not intended to create a legally binding agreement.

This MoU was signed by Mr Bob Pegler, Head of Resource Division, Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, on behalf of Australia and Mr K S Kropha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Coal on behalf of India.

UNI MP SBA AS2131