(a) whether the Government has decided to encourage setting up of coal washeries on Build-operate Lease Transfer (BOLT) basis;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the coal which is presently supplied to various consumers by CIL and its subsidiaries contain high percentage of ash; and
(d) if so, to what extent the setting up of coal washeries would help consumers in getting coal with less percentage of ash contents?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL (DR. DASARI NARAYANA RAO)
(a) & (b): The Government is encouraging washing of coal in
the private sector washeries. These washeries are to be set
up on Build-own-Operate (BOO) basis. The details of action
taken by Coal India Limited to set up coal washeries on BOO
basis are as under:
(i) Coal India Limited, through global bidding , has
selected private entrepreneurs to set up non-coking coal
washeries at various locations for supply of washed coal
mainly to thermal power stations. Negotiations are
presently in progress to finalise the agreement with private
operator to set up a washery of 6 million tonnes per annum
throughput capacity at Dipka, South Eastern Coalfields
Limited for supply of washed coal to MSEB.
(ii). Coal India Ltd. had offered its consumers as well as
private entrepreneurs to set up non-coking coal washeries
for supply of washed non-coking coal mainly to thermal power
stations. CIL has offered land and other infrastructure
facilities to its consumers, as available, on
lease/chargeable basis to set up washeries either by
themselves or through private entrepreneurs under BOO
scheme. Two washeries under such scheme have been set up in
Korba coalfields on CIL’s land and are in operation for
supply of washed coal to the linked consumers. CIL has also
allotted land to state power utility for setting up a
washery under BOO scheme.
(iii) CIL has also initiated action as facilitator to set up
non-coking coal washeries under BOO scheme and is
overwhelmed with a large number of interest shown by the
investors. However, this effort has not so far fructified
since no tie up has taken place between the consumer and the
investor/washery operator.
(c): All the coal supplied to the various consumers by
the subsidiary companies of CIL do not contain high ash
percentage. The ash percentage of non-coking coal supplied
by the subsidiary companies of CIL to its consumers varies
between 18% to 40% approximately (Gr. A to Gr. F).
(d): The coal washeries would help the consumers i.e.
thermal power stations, cement plants, sponge iron plants
etc. to get washed coal of required quality to the extent
possible subject to techno economical viability of washing
the coal. However, some thermal power stations are supplied
washed coal with ash content ranging between 33 to 34%.