Jaipur: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday met Union minister for coal Sriprakash Jaiswal in Delhi and requested him to immediately allot coal linkage and coal blocks for power projects in the state.
During the meeting, the chief minister demanded that the coal blocks allotted to Rajasthan in Chhattisgarh be set aside from ‘nogo’ zone for mining so that the desert state could get uninterrupted supply of coal and work related to power plants could be completed on time. The matter is pending with the environment ministry.
The chief minister informed Jaiswal that the energy ministry has already sent across its consent to the coal ministry regarding the coal-linkage to the state. Jaiswal assured Gehlot that the Centre is trying its best to provide the required help to Rajasthan and procedures regarding coal-linkage, coal-blocks and other pending matters are expected to be set out soon.
Gehlot also discussed the status of pending power projects and the environmental clearances for the same. He said that the super critical power plants to be developed in the state would get the required environmental clearance if coal ministry allots coal-linkage.
Gehlot explained that the energy sector tops the list of priority for the state government and becoming self-reliant in energy generation has been set as a target in the next Five Year Plan.
The work of two super critical power plants at Suratgarh and Chhabra — each having a capacity of 1320 MW—is to be completed by the state government while super critical power plant in Banswara having a capacity of 1320 MW would be undertaken by the private sector, he said.
“Immediate allotment of coallinkage for these power plants is must,’’ he emphasised.
The chief minister appealed to the Union minister that desired coal-blocks should be allotted immediately to the state so that uninterrupted supplies of coal is continued for other power projects of the state.
He added that if coal is supplied permanently from the coal-blocks allotted in Chhattisgarh, it would be helpful in completing the remaining work of Kalisindh and Chhabra power plants, each having a capacity of 1700-1700 MW.
“More than 70% work has been completed in these power plants and the target has been fixed as March 2012 to complete the work for these projects,’’ he added.
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