GoI concurs to demand of CM, enhances coal linkage for Talwandi Sabo and Rajpura TPP

Chandigarh, July 4, 2014: Acceding to the demand of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the Government of India (GoI) has enhanced coal linkage for Talwandi Sabo Thermal Power Plant (TPP) and Rajpura TPP matching with their installed capacities of 1980 MW and 1400 MW respectively, which was pending with the Union Ministry of Coal since April, 2011.  
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the Union Minister for Power and Coal Piyush Goyal has gave his nod for enhancing this capacity after the Chief Minister had raised this matter with the top brass of Ministry of Coal a few days back. In another significant decision the Union Minister has further agreed to grant two lac tones of coal per month for Goindwal Sahib TPP, which would enable State of Punjab to fully utilize the 540 MW capacity of the plant which was lying idle for want of coal. Likewise, on the pursuance of the Chief Minister, Goyal has also agreed for ramping up of coal supplies to PSPCL's own Thermal Plants by converting One Million Tons of coal from road mode to rail mode during remaining paddy season from July to September,2014  @ 3 rakes per day.   
Meanwhile in a letter to Goyal, the Chief Minister has also sought extension of deadline for implementation of Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program -A  (RADRP-A) project on account of the poor performance of the ITIA in Punjab, upto March 31, 2015.
Likewise, he also urged the Union Minister that keeping in view the overall national interest, a policy should be framed that minimizes the coal transportation costs for states like Punjab that were land locked and far away from the pithead as well. He also emphasised the need for 100% domestic coal linkage for power plants located in Punjab/land locked states and use of imported coal for coastal states.