Will ensure coal supply to power plants: Goyal

In keeping with the Centre’s plan to provide 24x7 electricity to every household in the next five years, Union Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said the Centre would take quick action to provide adequate coal to every power plant soon after the Supreme Court gave its verdict on coal blocks. 

“We will respect the decision of Supreme Court. We will ensure quick action thereafter to get the process started, get coal production significantly enhanced to reach the target of 1 billion tonnes by 2019 and ensure that every power plant in the country gets adequate coal,” Goyal told reporters here.

Aiming to light up rural households, the Centre plans to spend Rs 75,600 crore on supplying electricity through separate feeders for agricultural and domestic consumption.

While Rs 43,000 crore has been earmarked for the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana for feeder separation, Rs 32,600 crore has been allotted for strengthening sub-transmission and distribution systems, including 100 per cent metering and underground cabling.

 Separating electricity feeders will ensure around eight hours of quality power supply to agricultural consumers and 24-hour electricity to households. 

“This government is committed to ensure affordable 24x7 power to all houses, industrial and commercial establishments and adequate power for farms in five years,” said Goyal.