On Tuesday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the Centre is forcing states to buy imported coal, which is three times more expensive than domestic coal. He also requested the Centre to eliminate the necessity to buy imported coal, which he said had been raised to 10% of overall purchases.
Mr Gehlot said in a press statement that imported coal costs three times more than coal given by Coal India.
Rajasthan might face a cost of Rs. 1,736 crore if it acquires imported coal, according to the chief minister.
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“In December 2021, the Union electricity ministry advised the Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam for 4% imported coal blending. In April, it was necessary to acquire 10%,” according to Gehlot’s statement.
“This imported coal costs more than three times as much as coal supplied by Coal India Limited. It is projected to cost about Rs. 1,736 crore, which is much more than the cost of local coal, “The press statement said.
The chief minister voiced worry about the increased cost to the average customer due to imported coal.
He urged authorities to maintain the seamless running of power-producing units in the state and improve output during an energy department review meeting. The CM also ordered that the electricity cables prone to accidents be fixed.
