(a) whether the Government have formulated any scheme to make public sector undertakings under the Ministry of Coal, profitable;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the names of loss making PSUs, the amount of loss involved
therein and reasons therefor;
(d) whether any action has been taken to shut down these loss
making PSUs;
(e) if so, the details thereof;
(f) whether there is any scheme to merge or disinvest these
loss making units; and
(g) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL AND MINES (DR. DASARI NARAYANA RAO)
(a) to (c): All subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL)
except Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) and Bharat Coking Coal
Limited (BCCL) are earning profit. The loss suffered by ECL and
BCCL during the year 2003-04 is as under:
Name of the Profit(+)/Loss(-) company (before tax and dividend)
Rs. in crores
ECL (-) 326.38 BCCL (-) 569.85
The reasons for the losses of ECL and BCCL are given below:
(i) Extensive mining in the past at shallow depth by private sector resulting in unscientific development of mines;
(ii) Small size of mines;
(iii) Coal seams of Raniganj are susceptible to spontaneous heating;
(iv) Coal seams presently available are highly gassy and deep seated;
(v) Multiple seam situations;
(vi) Socio-politically sensitive area
(vii) High rate of cess in West Bengal
(viii) Coal in BCCL is prone to spontaneous heating resulting in 70 uncontrollable fires;
(ix) Difficult geo-mining conditions & presence of surface features;
(x) Difficulty involved in opencast mining operations due to presence of habitation in the vicinity;
(xi) Existence of old caved water logged goaves in ovarian seam;
(xii) Upward revision of salary of employees beyond the paying capacity of the company.