States owe Coal India nearly Rs 20,000 crore: Report

As India reels under a worsening coal crisis with rain and flood-like conditions affecting production, an NDTV report has said that states owe Coal India nearly Rs 20,000 crore.

Government sources informed NDTV that despite the dues, the Centre continued to supply coal to states.

States have reportedly not picked up stocks from Coal India since January despite the Coal Ministry writing to them to do so.

Sources alleged that states were not mining enough either. This contributed to the shortage they claimed, talking to the broadcaster.

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They also said some states like Delhi and Punjab had pulled the shutters on their main coal plants. Jharkhand, Rajasthan and West Bengal have barely seen any mining activity, the report added.

Coal India cannot stockpile coal in order to avoid fires, sources said.

Contradicting multiple media reports, the Centre has denied a power crisis in the country and is reportedly fulfiling demands put forth by states.

In the next 5 days, production of coal will be amped up by the Centre from 1.94 million tonnes to 2 million tonnes per day, sources told the publication.

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