Ruling out there being any low supply of coal to the power plants at present Coal Minister Piyush Goel in a Press Conference said, “The government endeavors to ensure adequate coal to power plants by targeting production of one billion tons by 2019.” Mr Goel who also heads the power ministry claimed that thermal power production in June –August has hiked by 21 percent against the production in the corresponding period of the last year. to evacuate more coal, Coal India Limited(CIL) the premier coal miner has given an in-principle decision to purchase 250 additional rakes for Rs. 5,000 crores. And on the supply side it will expedite build-out of three critical rail lines in the mine rich states of Chhatishgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha that could yield 60 million tons a year by 2017 and 200 tons by 2021-22
He also said,” even coal production in August 2014 had increased by 9 percent against it was in August 2013.” While he added that in just hundred days you can’t do much. “The government has inherited hosts of legacy problems in the power sector.” said the minister. 30 percent of the Indians still don’t have access to electricity. In spite of lakhs of crores of investments coal and gas based power plants are either lying idle or re operating sub-optimally. The state electric boards carry debts of Rs 304000 Cr.
Yet “ the NDA government is committed to bring about transformative change in the power sector and ensure affordable 24X7 power supply for homes, industrial and commercial establishments and adequate power farms” said the minister
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