Govt making efforts to increase coal availability to power plants

NEW DELHI: The government is making all efforts to increase coal availability to power sector and Coal India has been directed to give top priority to electricity generation projects, coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said on Tuesday.

The coal ministry will also consider request of Punjab government to ensure coal for its power plants.

Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal requested coal ministry for temporary coal supply for its Goindwal Power Plant that is slated to be commissioned in March 2013.

The coal block allocated for the power plant is yet to get local forestry clearance.

He also demanded more coal for power plants in Rajpura and Talwandi Sabo as they will be generating more power now. Jaiswal said his ministry would consider the requests.