The Union government plans to form a group of ministers to negotiate with trade unions in the coal industry so that the Coal Mines Nationalisation (Amendment) Bill of 2000 is passed, according to the additional secretary of the coal & mines ministry, Pradip Kumar.The Bill aims at removing restrictions on captive use of coal mines by the private sector. It was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2000, but opposition from trade unions has stalled it. At that time, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had also formed a GoM, but not much progress has been made. Kumar was here for an international conference on future of Indian mineral industry organised by the Mining, Geological & Metallurgical Institute of India here Saturday. Now, the UPA government at the centre has to begin afresh with another GoM.Till the statute is amended, the government is encouraging allotment of captive blocks to coal engaged in production of iron & steel, power and cement.At present 49 captive blocks have been allotted, but hardly 8 mt is obtained from these blocks, Kumar said. There is a need to re-visit the present policy to ensure that the allottees of captive blocks expedite production—the purpose for which the blocks have been allotted.The gap between demand and availability from indigenous source is projected at nearly 55 mt in 2006-07 and 95mt in 2011-12 and a large part of the demand is coming from the power sector. “These gaps have to be made up either by increasing indigenous production capacity by allowing private sector investment and by increasing import of coal or substituting it by other fuels,’’ he said.In 2003-04, India produced 360 mt and consumed 383 mt. Consumption is expected to go up to 404 mt this fiscal, to 460.5 mt by 2006-07 and further to 620mt by 2011-12. The gap between demand and availability from indigenous sources is projected nearly 55 mt in 2006-07 and 95 mt by 2011-12.
