Maha Govt To Import Coal To Tide Over Load Shedding Crisis: Ajit Pawar
Pawar told reporters here that the supply of coal in the country is not as it should be
Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Friday said that the state government is going to import coal “to some extent” from outside the country in order to tide over the current load shedding crisis in the state.
He also said that efforts are on to allow a coal mine in Chhattisgarh to the electricity department in Maharashtra.
Pawar told reporters here that the supply of coal in the country is not as it should be.
“Load shedding is going on in the state. A meeting was held by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on this issue. I will review the power department every week on the issue of load shedding and the cabinet has given its approval to check whether there is any availability of power in the country,” he said.
The senior NCP leader said efforts were being made to eliminate load shedding and ensure a smooth power supply in the state.
“The supply of coal to many states is inadequate. Maharashtra is also not getting enough supply and hence we have decided to import coal to some extent from outside the country. Simultaneously, efforts are being made to allot coal mines. Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MahaGenco)… Energy Minister Nitin Raut is working on it,” Pawar added.
He said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi has also asked the like-minded Chhattisgarh government to allot coal mines to Maharashtra.
Asked whether the BJP-led Center was playing vendetta politics by not providing coal to Maharashtra, Pawar said the supply of coal to various states was not happening the way it should be done.
“There are issues of railway wagons. Today, railway wagons are needed to transport coal, sugar, wheat and other essential commodities, which need to be taken to the ports. I do not want to bring any politics into it. I do not want to make that kind of allegation, but it is a fact that there is a shortage of coal,” the deputy chief minister said.
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