Lok Sabha Question No. 3688 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-08
Subject: Infrastructural Issues
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: FEROZE VARUN GANDHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3688

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2016

## Infrastructural Issues

## 3688.  SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  his  Ministry  is  coordinating  with  the  Ministries  of  Railways  and  Road transport  &  Highways  to  address  the  infrastructural  issues  regarding  the  coal  exploration, production and supply;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Ministry to ensure that infrastructure is put in place to create a conducive system for companies to bid for projects assigned to the region;
- (c) the  reason  for  low  utilization  of  funds  allocated  for  the  projects  in  North  Eastern States for the exploration of coal mines projects; and
- (d) the manner in which the Government is planning to address the issue of infrastructure so as to attract more investors for the regional projects?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL, POWER, NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) & (b): Coal India  Limited ( CIL) has funded three mega rail infrastructure projects, which are under implementation in the upcoming coalfields that shall help develop, produce & evacuate coal from these areas. The three projects are:

1. Tori-Shivpur-Kathotia  rail  project  in  Jharkhand  being  executed  on  deposit  basis  to facilitate evacuation of coal from the North Karanpura Coalfields of CCL.
2. Jharsuguda  Barpali  rail  project  in  Odisha  is  being  executed  on  deposit  basis  to facilitate evacuation of coal from the Talcher Coalfields of MCL.
3. East Rail Corridor & East-West Rail Corridor in Chhattisgarh being executed through JV companies to facilitate evacuation of coal from Mand-Raigarh Coalfields.

The  combined  length  covered  by  these  projects  is  likely  to  be  about  539  Kms  and  the combined capital outlay involved is about Rs 13419 Crs.

Progress of implementation of these three rail infrastructure projects along with other railway projects  are  being  monitored  through  the  e-CPMP  portal  of  Ministry  of  Coal.  Regular meetings are held in the Ministry to resolve critical issues involved in these projects. Monthly Coal Rail  inter-ministerial  meeting  is  held  to  review  the  implementation  of  these  projects.

Further in  regard  to  road  projects  the  pending  issues  with  Ministry  of  Road  Transport  and Highways are also discussed through e-CPMP portal of Ministry of Coal.

(c) & (d): North Eastern Region coalfields fall mainly in the states of Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. They constitute 0.5% of the total coal resources of the country. Most of the coals bearing areas in these states have major constraints in exploration with respect to difficult geological characteristics, large forest cover, rugged terrain and landissues causing hindrance in the work and in-turn low utilization of fund.

Government  is  committed  to  ensure  development  of  region  by  exploration  of  coal resource. State wise specific action plan have been drawn to ensure capacity building in Coal exploration. Further promotional drilling in the potential area of North East region has been taken up to prove coal resource for attracting investment in coal mining sector.

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