CM pitched for speedier coal allocation for PSUs

Chief Minister Narendra Modi had made a strong pitch for speedier allocation of coal blocks for captive power and steel plants,as claimed by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday,but he had not recommended allocating it to any one in particular,as per the state governments records accessed by The Indian Express.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi had made a strong pitch for speedier allocation of coal blocks for captive power and steel plants,as claimed by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday,but he had not recommended allocating it to any one in particular,as per the state governments records accessed by The Indian Express.

Modi apparently wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh twice,in 2007 and 2008,asking him to allocate coal from mines closer to Gujarat for power generation. He also requested the PM,vide letter dated June 11,2010,to allot Bhalumunda Coal Block in lieu of Morga-II. The decision on this is awaited.

Modis first two request letters were followed up Gujarats Minister of State for Energy,Petrochemicals and & Finance,who also sent letters to the Union Minister of State for Coal on July 2,2007,and on August 7,2009,with requests to respond positively in this regard.

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Meanwhile,reacting to Chidambarams statement on Monday,Gujarats Minister State for Industry & Mines Saurabh Patel,who is also the state governments spokesperson,denied any knowledge of the CMs letter to PM.

Patel,however,said his department had written that state utilities should get priority in allotment of coal blocks as they supply cheap power to the people and farmers in the state.

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