In order to help power producers suffering high cost of imported coal, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is said to be exploring several options including price pooling.

The panel is expected to meet in the few two weeks to discuss the matter, reports suggest. Amidst shortage of coal in the country, the CCEA plans to consider possible alternatives to deal with competing demand for coal, reports indicate.

According to official sources, the government is considering price pooling of coal, with some changes to the original proposal.

It is learnt that the idea of price pooling of coal is complicated as various stakeholders have diverging demands and expectations on the proposal.

Some state utilities and governments are against the idea of price pooling and hence the government is trying to find an optimum solution, reports indicate.

Power producers are eagerly awaiting the decision as thousands of megawatts of new thermal capacity is idling or underutilised because Coal India's output has lagged demand.