The Mining Boom

India's increasing coal projects drive a surge in mining equipment demand!

Commercial coal mining to improve efficiency

The Union Government?s recent move to allow the private sector to commercially mine coal will boost both production and mining efficiency, according to CRISIL. Substitution of imported non-coking coal with domestic production could save roughly Rs 30,000 crore of coal imports, CRISIL estimates.

Container Handling: Future?s Bright

Hybrid Annuity Model for highway projects

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for the Hybrid Annuity Model as one of the modes of delivery for implementing the highway projects.

One-time fund to revivelanguishing highway projects

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a one time fund infusion to revive and physically complete languishing national highway projects under the extension of provision available for BOT (Toll) projects to BOT (annuity) projects.

Thrust on implementation

The Central Government has empowered its Ministries and Departments to clear projects up to Rs 1,000 crore by themselves.

Govt says coal demand may not exceed 60,000 mw capacity

The Union Coal Ministry has told the Coal India (CIL) that the requirement of coal under the fuel supply agreements would not be for more than 60,000 mw by 2015 due to various reasons, including slippages in the schedule for commissioning of projects.

Coal block auction policy cleared

The Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal has said on September 24 that the government has approved auctioning coal blocks for private steel, cement and power firms. For the first time, the policy will pave way for allotment of coal mines through competitive bidding. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the policy, he added.

CCEA to take final call on price pooling

Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal informed reporters that his ministry submitted a note on the mechanism for coal price pooling to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), which would take a final call in its next meeting. Under the proposed new pass-through mechanism, entire additional cost of imports would be passed on to the consumers against averaging of prices of imported and domestic coal under the earlier price-pooling mech

CCEA may clear fuel pass through mechanism

In order to enable power plants to pass on the rise in the cost of imported fuel to end consumers, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) may clear the fuel pass through mechanism. Such a move may encourage power producers to use the full capacity of their power plants by importing fuel instead of running the plant at suboptimal capacity beca

CCEA to decide on Coal Regulatory Authority Bill

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs would decide on clearing the draft coal regulatory authority bill in a month as the bill received the approval of the Group of Ministers (GoM). The GoM, in its latest meeting, cleared the formation of an independent coal regulatory authority to monitor the sector. The draft bill will bring state-owned monopoly miner Coal India, which accounts for 81 percent of Indian coal production, in the

Govt okays 4-laning of Dimapur-Kohima h'way in Nagaland

The Union government on May 23 approved the 4-laning of Dimapur-Kohima National Highway in Nagaland at a total cost of Rs 1,089.87 crore. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the implementation of the project of 4-laning of the Dimapur-Kohima section from 124.1 km to 172.9 km of NH-39, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said in Delhi. This project is under the special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP-NE) in North Eastern Region, he said.

NHAI loses Rs 874 cr on project delays: CAG

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has incurred a loss of around Rs 873.85 crore due to delay in completion of port road connectivity (PRC) projects. This was stated by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and it observed this while reviewing the operations of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) formed for implementation of PRC projects that connect major ports.

CCEA explores various options on coal issue

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

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 Chair

Nod to Rs 7,915 cr road projects in UP, Maha, Gujarat, Haryana

The Union government on March 18 approved Rs 7,915 crore road projects in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Haryana under its flagship road building programme National Highways Development Project (NHDP). The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), in its meeting accorded approval to the four projects to be built under phases III, IV and V on Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis.