Budget 2014: Government promises to end impasse on coal supplies to power plants

NEW DELHI: The government will end the impasse on coal supplies to power plants and ensure availability of the fuel to all projects that are commissioned before March 2015, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley promised in the first budget of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government.

Jaitley, in his maiden budget speech on July 10, said the government would enhance domestic coal production and set up more washeries to improve the quality of delivered coal.

The government will also optimise the existing coal linkages to improve supplies and avoid unnecessary transportation, the finance minister said.

Power projects across the country have been starved of coal supplies due to regulatory issues in key states.