Coal imports should be curbed says minister who accuses lobbies at play

Asking states to stop thermalcoal imports, the government in Rajya Sabha on Monday saidthat a lobby was active in some states that was behind dry-fuel imports despite sufficient domestic stock.Replying to a query in the Upper House during QuestionHour, Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said India houses the fourthlargest resources in the world yet thermal coals were beingimported and should be stopped.

"There is no hesitation in saying that in many statessome import lobby is also working. Though in last three-fourmonths we have enough stock some of the Gencos are importing.This is the major problem," Joshi said.

Making it clear that he was not politicising the issue,the minister said many states are importing thermal coal whichis substitutable.

"I have written to all chief ministers including ofMadhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Punjab, Rajasthan,Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadurequesting them to direct all Gencos to maximise the coallifting and stop coal imports," he said.

The minister said he has also asked Power Minister R KSingh to ask NTPC to totally stop the imports.

All thermal power plants have a stock of 23 days whichis the highest ever in ecent history, he added.

The minister cautioned states to utilise domestic coal ona priority basis as the present stock has a maximum life of 30years.

The minister said though coal production this yearremained impacted due to "incessant and unprecedented" rains,the production increased post December.

On commercial mining, he said a new system for E auctionof mines has been put in place besides stringent actionagainst non-performers.

Also, captive mine owners have been allowed to sell 25per cent of the coal over and above end-use.

Thermal coal is used in power generation.

About coking coal which is mostly used in steelproduction, the minister said the country has not sufficientstock but Jharia coalmines which has the highest such stockwas being redeveloped.

"Jharia Redevelopment Authority is there. We aresupporting that ...Rehabiliation will done at the earliest,"he said in reply to a supplementary.

India imported 235.24 million tonnes of coal in 2018-19whereas imports for the current fiscal up to December stood at186.64, the minister said.

The value of imported coal during last fiscal wasestimated at USD 2,4513 million.