The government said Friday it has issued notices to 16 companies, including NTPC, JSW Steel, Hindalco, Vedanta and Nalco, for delays in the operationalization of coal blocks.
Show causal notices are sent from time to time to companies that do not comply with the timelines prescribed in their agreements for timely operationalization of coal blocks or for failure to achieve targeted coal production.
“At its 17th meeting, the Monitoring Committee held … recently reviewed cases of 24 coal mines … Following the meeting of the Control Committee, further notices were issued on the causes of 16 companies for 22 coal blocks,” the coal ministry said in a statement.
While Vedanta and NTPC were issued notices of delays in the production of three blocks each, Birla Corp Ltd and Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd were notified of two blocks each.
Other companies that issued notices include Damodar Valley Corporation, West Bengal Power Development Corporation, BS Ispat Ltd and Sunflag Iron and Steel Company Ltd.
The Ministry has set up a control committee to consider notifications and responses received from award participants on a case-by-case basis and to recommend fines in cases where the delays can be attributed to the companies.
The panel “recommended proportional appropriateness of performance in four cases, namely Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Limited (Rajbar E&D), Topworth Urja & Metals Ltd (Marki Mangli-I), Ultratech Cements Ltd (Bicharpur) and National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (Talaipalli). .. “, it added.
The panel’s recommendations have been accepted by the government and grant orders are being issued.
The Ministry of Coal also said it expects 58 coal blocks to become operational in the current fiscal policy. The mines are likely to produce around 138.28 million tonnes (MT) of coal compared to the planned production of 203.67 MT.
The government has allocated blocks for internal use as well as the sale of coal.
It further said that 85.32 MT of coal has been produced in FY’22 from 47 operational coal blocks.
In addition to the regular follow-up, the Ministry of Coal also holds audit meetings with the grants and the respective state / central agencies for early operationalization of the blocks and to increase production from operational mines.
