Committee on surplus coal to give recommendations soon: Montek

Says it makes sense to use domestic surplus coal than to import at higher cost

The committee under Planning Commission Member B K Chaturvedi on the usage of surplus domestic coal from captive mines is expected to come out with its recommendations soon.

 

"The committee, I think, will come to a consensus quite quickly. I believe the committee is coming to a close on making recommendations," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said on the sidelines of an industry event here today.

 

He said it makes sense to use domestic surplus coal than to import at higher cost.

 

"My view is that it certainly doesn't make any sense not to be using available domestic capacity which can be used and importing coal at much higher cost," Ahluwalia said.

 

He said the Commission is doing every bit to increase the supply of coal in the system and reduce dependency on imports.

 

"We in the Planning Commission have always been utilising whatever flexibility that is available to increase the supply of domestic coal in the system in order to reduce the import dependency." he added.

 

The committee, which was set up earlier this year, is looking at ways for optimal utilisation of surplus coal from captive blocks to help ease the country's fuel scarcity.

 

India's coal consumption stood at 772.84 million tonne as against production of 557.60 million tonne in 2012-13. The demand-supply gap is mainly met by imports from countries such as Indonesia, South Africa and Australia.

 

The deficit of about 204 tonne coal in the previous fiscal had resulted into doubling of coal import bill to about $18 billion.