The union environment ministry cleared 18 coal mining projects of the monopoly coal miner Coal India (CIL), Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakashbapu Patil informed the Rajya Sabha.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests gave environmental clearances (EC) for 14 projects and stage-I forestry clearances (FC) for four projects of CIL soon after the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI), Patil said.

The CCI was set up to fast-track decision making process for clearance of projects in the infrastructure sector.

In order to clear the pending issues concerning both environmental and forestry clearances, the coal ministry is conducting regular interaction with the environment ministry, Patil said.

Similarly, regular interaction with the concerned state government is taking place to address the issues related to land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement of project affected persons, he said.

To solve issues related to pending rail infrastructure projects for coal evacuation in different coalfields, the coal ministry is also holding regular dialogue with the railways, he said.

In February 2013, the CCI considered the proposal of the coal ministry regarding fast tracking of the approvals for the environment and forest clearances in respect of 12 coal mining projects, according to an official statement.