Lok Sabha Question No. 538 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-20
Subject: Coal Linkage
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Pradeep Kumar Singh, Gitaben Vajesingbhai Rathva, Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya, Shantanu Thakur

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.538 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.11.2019

## Coal Linkage

## 538. SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH: SHRIMATI RATHVA GITABEN VAJESINGBHAI: SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA: SHRI SHANTANU THAKUR:

## Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) the criteria laid down for allocation of coal linkages to consumers in power, steel and coal sectors;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  detect  unauthorized mining/unauthorized sale activity extending beyond allotted lease area; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof, State-wise?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a): The procedure followed for allocation of coal linkages is as under:

- (1)   A  policy  for  Auction  of  Coal  Linkages  to  Non-Regulated  Sector  was introduced  in  February  2016.  In  this  policy,  it  has  been  stipulated  that  all allocation of linkages/Letter of Assurance  for non-regulated sector viz. Cement, Steel/Sponge Iron, Aluminum and others {excluding Fertilizer (urea sector)},  including  their  Captive  Power  plants  (CPPs),  shall  hence  forth  be auction based. There is no renewal of existing Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) except FSAs of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and Fertilizer (Urea).
- (2)     A Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala (Coal) Transparently in India (SHAKTI), 2017 was introduced in May 2017 and subsequent amendment dated 25.03.2019, in which coal linkages are allocated to thermal power plants, on nomination basis to the Central/State sector power plants and  through  bidding/auction  process  to  power  plants  in  private  sector. Under SHAKTI, coal linkages are granted on notified price for power producers having already concluded long term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), wherein bidder  bids  for  discount  on  tariff.  Coal  linkages  are  also  made  available  to States for competitive tariff based biding of PPAs.

(3) The bridge linkages are allotted to specified end use plants of Central/State PSUs which have been allotted Schedule-III coal mines under the Coal Mines (Special  Provisions)  Act,  2015  and  coal  blocks  allotted  under  the  Mines  and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957. The recommendations for the bridge linkage are made by the Standing Linkage Committee (Long Term).

(b) & (c): Coal Mine Surveillance and Management System (CMSMS)/ 'Khanan Prahari' App has been launched on 4 th  July, 2018 to monitor unauthorized coal mining activities, through which illegal coal mining activity can be detected in 2 ways:

i.  Through  scanning  of  satellite  data at  CMPDI,  wherein  satellite  data is scanned  to  detect  any  coal  mining  activity,  which  is  extending  outside  the authorized leasehold area,

- ii. Through report by citizens on this app where any citizen can report illegal coal mining activity in the form of text and/or geo-tagged photographs.

Reports generated through the above sources is automatically forwarded to the concerned  Nodal  Officers,  who  have  been  nominated  by  Coal  India  limited (CIL)/  Singareni  Collieries  Company  Limited  (SCCL)  as  well  as  various  State Governments. The Nodal Officers verify the reported activity and take action, like  filing  a  police  report  for  taking  action  as  per  law  of  informing  the  law enforcing  agencies.  The  action  taken is  also fed  into  the  system  so  that  any person  can  see  the  status  of  his  complaint  through  the  complaint  tracking system  in  the  CMSMS.  The  identity  of  the  complainant  is  not  revealed.  The cumulative monthly status report is at Annexure-I.

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## ANNEXURE-1

| Cumulative Monthly Status Report of Coal Mines surveillance and management System (CMSMS-Khanan Prahari) October-2019 Khanan Prahari Mobile app.                                                                                                                                                                                     | Cumulative Monthly Status Report of Coal Mines surveillance and management System (CMSMS-Khanan Prahari) October-2019 Khanan Prahari Mobile app.                                                                                                                                                                                     | Cumulative Monthly Status Report of Coal Mines surveillance and management System (CMSMS-Khanan Prahari) October-2019 Khanan Prahari Mobile app.                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| I. Complaints generated through 1. Total No. of Complaint Generated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 205                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | Remarks                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 2. CIL Area                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|  No. of Complaint generated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 120                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | BCCL-18,CCL-7,ECL-80,NCL-6,SECL-8,MCL-1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| From CIL Leasehold Area                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|  Complaint verified by CIL Nodal Officer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 82                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | BCCL-16,CCL-7,ECL-50, NCL-3, SECL-5, MCL-1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|  Complaint found True                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 22                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | BCCL-2,CCL-5, ECL-15                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|  Complaint found False/ Repeated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 61                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | BCCL-15, CCL-2, ECL-35, NCL-3, SECL-5, MCL-1.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| After Verification                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|  Complaint yet to Be verified                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 37                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | BCCL-1, ECL-30, NCL-3, SECL-3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 3.Non-CIL Area                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|  No of complaint Generated From                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 85                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Assam-4, Chhattisgarh-7, Madhya Pradesh-25, Odisha-5, West Bengal-25, Jharkhand-11, Maharashtra-8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| Outside CIL Leasehold Areas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|  Complaint Verified                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Assam-1, Chhattisgarh-6, Madhya Pradesh-4, Odisha-2, West Bengal-1,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|  Complaint found False                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 13                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Chhattisgarh-6, Madhya Pradesh-4, Odisha-2, West Bengal-1.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|  Complaint Found Repeated                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | 19**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | Chhattisgarh-5, West Bengal-2, Assam-2, Madhya Pradesh-7, Maharashtra-3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| After Verification                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| Complaint Found True                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Assam-1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|  Complaint yet to Be verified                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | 71                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Assam-3, Madhya Pradesh-21, Odisha-3, West Bengal-24, Jharkhand-11, Maharashtra-8, Chattisgarh-1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| ** Complaint ID 272 & 273 and 373,374,375 are repeated of West Bengal and complaint ID 274 - 279 are repeated of Chhattisgarh. Complaint ID 354 &355 are repeated of Madhya Pradesh. Complaint ID 283 -284 & 285 are repeated of Assam area. Complaint (352,353) & (357,358,359) are repeated of ECL. 6 complaints of MP, 3 from MH. | ** Complaint ID 272 & 273 and 373,374,375 are repeated of West Bengal and complaint ID 274 - 279 are repeated of Chhattisgarh. Complaint ID 354 &355 are repeated of Madhya Pradesh. Complaint ID 283 -284 & 285 are repeated of Assam area. Complaint (352,353) & (357,358,359) are repeated of ECL. 6 complaints of MP, 3 from MH. | ** Complaint ID 272 & 273 and 373,374,375 are repeated of West Bengal and complaint ID 274 - 279 are repeated of Chhattisgarh. Complaint ID 354 &355 are repeated of Madhya Pradesh. Complaint ID 283 -284 & 285 are repeated of Assam area. Complaint (352,353) & (357,358,359) are repeated of ECL. 6 complaints of MP, 3 from MH. |
| II. Monitoring of report of scanning of satellite data for the period of 1 st quarter (JUL-SEP) of 2019-20                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | II. Monitoring of report of scanning of satellite data for the period of 1 st quarter (JUL-SEP) of 2019-20                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | II. Monitoring of report of scanning of satellite data for the period of 1 st quarter (JUL-SEP) of 2019-20                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |