In run up to the general elections, Narendra Modi had publicly taken on green clearances roadblock promising that he will simplify process. Two months after swearing in as the prime minister, Modi's office has shot off a letter to all key infrastructure ministries to spell out specific changes required in green clearance process. The letter accessed by dna says the new green policy should be consistent and transparent for the industry so that the big ticket projects, some of which are pending for years, gets the required push.
"It is essential to make the clearance processes and mechanism consistent and transparent. In this regard, the ministry (ministries) may undertake a quick review of difficulties being faced by undertakings/ companies in securing environmental, coastal, wildlife and forest clearances for their projects," said a PMO letter dated July 14 that has been sent to all major Union ministries like transport and highways, mining, coal, ports, power, railways and others.
"(They) may submit recommendations on specific changes required in the extant guidelines, procedures and mechanism for the four clearances," said the PMO letter.
Not all ministries have replied to PMO as yet but sources revealed that many of them are preparing a detailed reply and would soon send their notes to the PMO.
The recent constitution of the National Board for Wildlife where the PMO has reportedly decreased the number of non-governmental experts, NGO, and environmentalists to ease out resistance in the board which clears process in and around national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves among other places also seems to be part of same plan to ease out clearance process. The MoEF has also launched online filing and monitoring of projects for environment and forest clearances since NDA government came to power in May.
PMO's query is meant to streamline green policy for industry which in the last few years has repeatedly attacked the government for not doing enough to remove the green clearances roadblock. Jayanthi Natarajan was also removed as environment minister and M Veerappa Moily was brought in her place to give faster clearances. In last year of UPA-II, former PM Manmohan Singh had also formed a cabinet committee on investment and a project monitoring group to ease bottlenecks in green clearance process, which cleared around 150 projects worth over Rs5 lakh crore, industry was still unhappy with overall process.
Projects which are stuck owing to environmental clearances
Over 40 big projects of railway ministry including some 11 in north-eastern region that have been declared as national projects.
Rs 24,000 crores worth 4000 MW Ultra Mega Power project being set up near Bhedabahal village Sundargarh district of Odisha.
1500 MW Tipaimukh Hydro Electric Project (1500 MW) in Manipur.
Development of Ahmedabad-Dholera six lane expressway by Gujarat State Road Development Corporation.
Rs60,000 crore worth Tata-Sasol CTL project in Odisha. It involves setting up a captive opencast coal mine in Talcher Coalfield for the coal to liquid project.
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