Government hopes to boost coal supply by raising output from new Jharkhand mines

MUMBAI: The government hopes to substantially raise coal supply by developing new mines as the Jharkhand government has promised to help speed up approvals and land acquisition for crucial projects and railway lines to link new mines to the market.

Power, coal and renewable energy minister Piyush Goyal told ET that Hemant Soren, the chief minister of Jharkhand promised to work closely with the Centre to expedite projects such as the Rs 1,095-crore Tori-Shivpuri-Kathotia rail line in North Karanpura, which is expected to add 100 million tonnes of coal output annually. "I have had some productive discussions with the Jharkhand CM about expediting coal production in the state and he has promised to be an enabling partner in granting quick approvals and removing regulatory bottlenecks.

In fact, he specifically assured me that land allocation will be facilitated for construction of Shivpuri rail line so that prospective coal mines in the area can be adequately developed," Goyal said. CIL identified the crucial rail link along with the rail links in Bhupdeopur-Korichhaapar to Mand Raigadh mines in Chhattisgarh and Barpali-Jharsuguda in Ib Valley, Odisha.