By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/SAMBALPUR/TALCHER: With Union Coal Ministry is all set to put as many as 50 Coal Blocks for open bidding by July this year in view of the massive reforms, some private players like Jindal Steel and Power Limited, JSW Steel-Energy, HINDALCO of Aditya Birla Group and Coal India’s subsidiary, MCL, in Odisha likely to benefit more considering their operations and coal consumption for their multiple operations.
“These well thought out reforms reflect that Government is well abreast of ground realities. These measures will help steer our economy out of the present situation caused by pandemic COVID-19,” said Jindal Steel and Power Limited Chairman, Naveen Jindal. “It will also help reduce the country’s dependence on imports of petroleum products”, JSPL Chairman, said. JSPL lauded the reforms announced by the government for domestic coal sector, saying the measures will encourage players in the sector to adopt clean technologies for steel making.
“We whole heartedly welcome the announcements. Incentivising coal gasification is something that we have been requesting for a long time. Last year, PM (Narendra Modi) too had stressed on its importance. This will definitely help steelmakers in producing steel using swadeshi coal, truly leading to Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. This will also boost the economy and encourage clean coal technologies that use coal in an environment-friendly manner,” the JSPL Chairman said, PTI reports.
Noting that India has third-largest reserves of coal in the world, the JSPL Chairman further said that with the gasification technology can help India overcome “the perennial shortage of oil, gas, methanol, ammonia and urea”.JSPL Managing Director V R Sharman had earlier said India has coal reserves for another 300 years and the time is ripe to use the reserve.Coal can be converted into syngas which can be used for producing petrol, diesel and other petroleum products, which can reduce dependence on crude oil imports, he had informed.
JSPL already using the technology at its Angul plant in Odisha. It is the India”s first and only plant producing steel from swadeshi coal using the coal gasification technology.On the auction of coal blocks, Jindal said: “The reforms for opening up of domestic coal for commercial mining is a revolutionary step and the move will attract more investments, boost domestic coal production and reduce our dependance on imports”.He further said the measures will also improve the ease of doing business in India and also give a boost to ”Make in India” initiative.
Apart from that Rungta Mines Limited, Essel Mining and Industries Ltd, Tatas, Sesa Goa, Vedanta Industries Ltd, Adani Group and global players like Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, PesBody, Glencore and Vale are among those eyeing on Odisha’s Coal block, sources said.
Odisha , which houses 79,295 Million ton of coal deposits, is the second most Coal bearing State in the Country while India is the 5th biggest coal bearing Nation in the World. In past, Odisha Government only auctioned 1 coal block-Jamkhani, which had won by Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Limited. The Coal Ministry is auctioning as many 27 blocks. Odisha has hiked it coal production by 23 % in last 5 years, while National Coal Production increased by 24 %. India’s coal production was 730.54 Million ton during 2018-19 with a growth of 7.9 %
