December 12, 2014
TMC wants new Coal Bill to be sent to Standing Committee for study
Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee today spoke on the Coal Mines Ordinance, 2014 in Lok Sabha and demanded that the government send the Bill to Standing Committee.
Highlights of his speech:
- The Supreme Court has cancelled the allocation of coal blocks because they were illegal and arbitrary.
- The previous government did not act on the recommendation of Supreme Court.
- We are in favour of a transparent system. Auction is one such system.
- 80% coal goes to power sector for production of electricity. There should have been a government policy for coal distribution.
- Under the scheme of this Bill, no clear end-use policy has been specified.
- Whether power sector will get coal solely depends on the discretion of Central government.
- How power industry will get supply of coal? This is the major question which has not been specified in the Bill.
- From 1972 till 2014, coal miners have put up hard work to bring power sector to this level.
- The government is going for privatisation. Why are they ignoring their own company – Coal India? Why is government not strengthening Coal India and subsidiaries.
- There is uncertainty for coal supply to power sector. This is the concern of my party.
- Coal mines are the properties of States. Central government is not making any charity to the State govt.
- The confidence in the core industry about uninterrupted supply of coal is gone.
- If you bring FDI in all sectors, it will have disastrous effects.
- Sir, the entire Act does not speak anything about the workers. Owners mint money at the cost of labourers.
- I urge the Minister to include gas sector in the Bill. Production of gas through coal is an upcoming industry.
- Unless core industries are secured, this Bill will not achieve its purpose.
- This Bill must be referred to the Standing Committee.
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