Mamata gets green nod from Modi govt for 43 coal, power, oil and steel projects
The clearances, ranging from environmental nod to diversion of forest land, cover projects in the Central, state as well as private sector.
NEW DELHI: As a major takeaway from West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's first meeting with PM Narendra Modi on Monday, the environment ministry has cleared the way for 43 projects - spanning coal, power, oil and steel industries - to take off in the state.
The clearances, ranging from environmental nod to diversion of forest land, cover projects in the Central, state as well as private sector and would help kick-start industrial activities in almost all the districts of the state.
This was the first time during nine months of the Modi regime that such a large number of projects have been cleared by the Centre for Bengal, state finance minister Amit Mitra said here on Wednesday.
During her meeting with the PM, Banerjee had discussed the state's economic situation and mentioned even Central projects that were pending in the absence of green nod.
On his part, the PM assured of all possible help to the state but clarified that he could not bail out Bengal from the debt that has been accumulating over the years and which Banerjee inherited from the Left regime when she took over as CM three years ago.
Banerjee had also met several Central ministers, including environment minister Prakash Javdekar and power minister Piyush Goyal, during her two-day visit to Delhi. Mitra followed up on her meeting with Javdekar on Tuesday with a detailed discussion on the stalled projects. TMC MPs are expected to meet railway minister Suresh Prabhu and urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu next week, to discuss details of pending projects in the state.
Power sector got a major boost with clearances to NTPC's plan for expanding the Farakka project by adding another 500 mw unit. DVC 's 2,340 mw Mejia power station received green nod to acquire additional nod for building an ash pond. Clearance for diverting forest land in three divisions was given to Teesta Valley Power Transmission Ltd for laying high-power transmission link.
In steel, major beneficiaries included IISCo which was granted clearance for its expansion planned in phases. Several other sponge iron and steel projects in the private sector also received environment clearance.
Coal was another sector that received a major dose of clearances. Eastern Coalfields Ltd was one of the major beneficiaries in the Central sector, while Bengal Emta was a key gainer in the private sector with permission to divert over 101 hectare forest land for its project in Birbhum.
One project that stood out was the Mumbai-based Hiranadani Group's plan to set up an offshore terminal for importing gas in ships. The project is to be set up off the coast of Digha.
State-run explorer ONGC also received clearance to start exploratory drilling in three blocks - DWN-2009/18, WB-ONN-2005/4 and PA-ONN-2005/2.
The clearances, ranging from environmental nod to diversion of forest land, cover projects in the Central, state as well as private sector and would help kick-start industrial activities in almost all the districts of the state.
This was the first time during nine months of the Modi regime that such a large number of projects have been cleared by the Centre for Bengal, state finance minister Amit Mitra said here on Wednesday.
During her meeting with the PM, Banerjee had discussed the state's economic situation and mentioned even Central projects that were pending in the absence of green nod.
On his part, the PM assured of all possible help to the state but clarified that he could not bail out Bengal from the debt that has been accumulating over the years and which Banerjee inherited from the Left regime when she took over as CM three years ago.
Banerjee had also met several Central ministers, including environment minister Prakash Javdekar and power minister Piyush Goyal, during her two-day visit to Delhi. Mitra followed up on her meeting with Javdekar on Tuesday with a detailed discussion on the stalled projects. TMC MPs are expected to meet railway minister Suresh Prabhu and urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu next week, to discuss details of pending projects in the state.
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Power sector got a major boost with clearances to NTPC's plan for expanding the Farakka project by adding another 500 mw unit. DVC 's 2,340 mw Mejia power station received green nod to acquire additional nod for building an ash pond. Clearance for diverting forest land in three divisions was given to Teesta Valley Power Transmission Ltd for laying high-power transmission link.
In steel, major beneficiaries included IISCo which was granted clearance for its expansion planned in phases. Several other sponge iron and steel projects in the private sector also received environment clearance.
Coal was another sector that received a major dose of clearances. Eastern Coalfields Ltd was one of the major beneficiaries in the Central sector, while Bengal Emta was a key gainer in the private sector with permission to divert over 101 hectare forest land for its project in Birbhum.
One project that stood out was the Mumbai-based Hiranadani Group's plan to set up an offshore terminal for importing gas in ships. The project is to be set up off the coast of Digha.
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State-run explorer ONGC also received clearance to start exploratory drilling in three blocks - DWN-2009/18, WB-ONN-2005/4 and PA-ONN-2005/2.
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