Apparently worried over the “shortage of coal” and the “power failures” experienced at many parts of the country, the Standing Committee of Parliament on Coal and Steel, headed by BJP MP Rakesh Singh, has decided to study the future of coal in India's energy mix.
The panel has selected about 12 issues in the Ministry of Coal, which will be examined in the next one year.
The land acquisition and issues of rehabilitation and resettlement in coal, lignite mining areas, research and development in coal sector, future of coal in India's energy mix, review of welfare programmes for coal mine workers, safety in coal mines, the projection and planning of production of coal and lignite, skill development in coal/lignite sector and the trends and issue of self reliance in the import of coal are some of the areas of study.
On the Ministry of Mines, the panel will examine the mineral exploration activities in North-Eastern States and its overall impact on development of the region.
It will also see the development of aluminium and copper industries, consider the measures to curb illegal mining of iron ore, manganese and bauxite and review the organisational structure and performance of Geological Survey of India and the Indian Bureau of Mines.
Expediting and simplifying the environment and forest clearance process for mining projects and the measures for abatement of pollution due to mining activities and self-reliance in minerals and metals are the other issues that have come into the attention of the panel.
Issues under the Ministry of Steel such as the steel policy, policy changes assisting secondary steel sector will also be reviewed by the panel.