Centre collars states as NTPC’s coal mines fail to deliver

The union government on Monday said it has taken up with state governments issues concerning delays in production in captive coal mines allotted to the state-run National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC), India's largest power producer.

''The issues are taken up with the state governments concerned for early resolution. These blocks are due for coal supply from December 2015 to June 2016,'' power and coal minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

In regard to NTPC's Pakri-Barwadih, Chatti-Bariatu and Kerandari coal blocks in Jharkhand, the minister said the delay is attributable to the adverse law and order situation in the state, delay in land acquisition, and a lack of policy in the state government regarding squatters on forest land and government land.

''Production from Talaipalli coal block in Chhattisgarh has been delayed due to delay in the approval of R&R plan, transfer of government land and approval of mining lease by the state government,'' Goyal said.

Dulanga coal block in Odisha was earlier put in the 'no-go area' by the union environment ministry, but cleared from the no-go list in August 2011, which delayed further action, he added.

In the last fiscal, NTPC imported 10.8 million tonnes of coal, ''the cost of which is about Rs7,078 crore'', Goyal said.