Coal production more pressing problem than CIL restructuring

The Coal Ministry is more concerned about increasing coal production than restructuring Coal India, Union Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.

On his fist visit to the city after taking over the Coal Ministry, Goyal said that the more pressing problem before the ministry was to increase coal supplies by sorting out environmental issues. There were years of "inaction, ineptitude and policy paralysis the sector had witnessed over the years on account environmental constraints, which were to a large extent unreasonable," the Minister said when asked about the government's thinking on restructuring of Coal India.

Coal India has eight subsidiaries of which seven have mines, he said. Speaking on enhancing coal production, Goyal said, "I am glad that I have discussed the issue with the environment minister and already set up a meeting in the next four days to further sort out some of the valuable suggestions given in the meeting."

Goyal avoided answering a question on coal pricing, saying that there would be an improvement in coal quality. "We are looking at best practices, also looked ways and means for incentive to employees of Coal India to enhance production, particularly because in the last 4-5 years coal production has not matched the demand in the country."