(a) Whether the Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Limited (GMDC) has requested the Ministry to change
the location of power project based on the Naini Orissa Coal Blocks allocated to it;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons cited behind the GMDC’s request; and
(c) the response of Government thereon?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL (SHRI PRATIK PRAKASH BAPU PATIL)
(a) to (c) M/s. Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. had requested the Ministry for change of location of the
power plants based on coal from Naini coal block as the parties selected for setting up the power plants intended setting
up of power plants in Gujarat instead of Angul in Odisha and near Dumka in Jharkhand. The Government had sought the
recommendations of the Ministry of Power and the Government of Odisha. However, in the meanwhile the Inter-Ministerial
Group (IMG), which was constituted by the Government to review the progress of allocated coal blocks and linked/associated
end use projects, after having reviewed the progress of Naini coal block has recommended de-allocation of the same along
with forfeiture of 50% bank guarantee (BG) related to development of this block. The recommendations of IMG have been
accepted by the Government and the block has since been de-allocated.