CoalMin disapproves dual pricing for coal

The proposal of the Planning Commission to introduce dual pricing for coal was opposed by the union coal ministry, which argues that it is not a feasible plan.

Under dual pricing, coal would be sold at different prices in different markets. Union coal ministry expressed its disapproval for the proposal at a meeting under the Chairmanship of Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

The proposal was discussed at the meeting, which was attended by Coal Secretary SK Srivastava, Coal India Chairman and Managing Director S Narsing Rao, among others.

The proposal for dual pricing comes at a time when the the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had already approved in-principle the averaging of prices of domestic and imported coal to get a uniform price for coal.

The CCEA suggested the government to set up an inter-ministerial committee to work out the modalities of price pooling.

Coal India (CIL), on its part, had earlier said that price pooling is a mechanism to implement fuel supply agreement (FSA) that it has to sign with power companies.

If price pooling is approved, then 15 per cent supply of imported coal "will be not in the cost plus method, but in pooling mechanism", CIL had said.