Power crisis, due to alleged shortage of coal stock in the country,in this regard government sources on Tuesday said States have to pay nearly Rs 20,000 crores as dues to Coal India.
As per government sources, since January the Coal Ministry has been writing to States to pick up stocks from Coal India but obtained no response.
States are not mining sufficiently neither picking up stocks
Despite reminders, States are not mining sufficiently and are not picking up stocks from Coal India, which also contributed to the current situation. Sources said, States like Punjab and Delhi had shut down main coal plants.
States have huge pending dues of Coal India on them. It is revealed through sources that Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are big defaulters. All States have to pay dues of Rs 20,000 crores to Coal India.
Power crisis Very less or no mining
Sources of Government further asserted that Coal India can stock only up to a limit as overstocking can cause coal fire. Rajasthan, West Bengal and Jharkhand have their coal mines but there was very less or no mining.
Rise in foreign coal rates and prolong monsoon
also led to coal shortage . While international coal prices were low, electricity companies and States were buying it from abroad. Now when its prices are increased, they are looking for domestic coal, stated sources.
Government is planning to ramp up coal production
Meanwhile, the government in the next five days is intending to ramp up per day coal production from 1.94 million tonnes to 2 million tonnes per day, sources said. Despite heavy dues no supply of coal was ever stopped to any State, they added.
Sources indicated that the Centre is fulfilling all the demands compelled by the States.
In the last four days, Coal stocks have started increasing, sources said, putting in that the situation will be normal within a month. There is no shortage in coal supply and daily power, they said.
