The Union Coal Minister, Mr Jaiprakash Jaiswal, said the Joint Bipartite Committee for Coal Industry (JBCCI) would be set up soon. Hopefully, recommendations will be there by July for pay revision of employees in the sector, he said here on Thursday.

“This time it will not be late like the previous occasion. All formalities will be completed soon, Mr Jaiswal said at a news conference here.

The JBCCI recommends pay revision for the coal employees every five years and the last time it had recommended it was in July 2006.

Stating that the Maoist menace in Jharkhand had also its impact in coal production, Mr Jaiswal said coal production had “incurred a huge loss” due to the Naxalite problem.

On alleged rampant illegal mining in Jharkhand, the coal minister said it was the responsibility of the state to curb such activities.

“We have been meeting chief ministers (of different states) with a request to strengthen policing to stop illegal coal mining. So far there is no effective result,” he said in reply to a query as what the coal sector was doing to prevent illegal mining.

“Even I have come across a report terming it (illegal mining) as a cottage industry,” claimed Mr Jaiswal.

On Jharia rehabilitation issue, he blamed neighbouring Jharkhand and West Bengal for its alleged delay.

“The Centre approved a package of Rs 10,000 crore 18 months ago and asked these two governments to start the process of rehabiliation in Jharia. But only one meeting took place,” he said.

As per the package, the families residing in Jharia township have to be rehabilitated elsewhere following raging underground coal fire at Jharia area in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand.

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