Raipur: CM Bhupesh Baghel has written to the Union Coal minister requesting him to instruct SECL officers to supply coal to the steel producers of CG.
In the letter, he mentioned that the SECL does not provide the required amount of coal to the steel producers of the state. As per the data received by CG Mineral Dept, the state is being supplied only 60 lakh tonnes of coal which is comparatively lower than 15 million tonnes- the actual supply needed.
The Chief Minister has said, “Due to the coal crisis, it has been decided to stop the supply of coal by SECL to the steel producers and other units (except power plants) of the state from the month of August, due to which there will be a serious crisis on the economy of the state.”
He further went on mention how the state faced interrupted train services after the Centre had halted the supply for use other than in steel plants.
Recently, in February this year, Baghel also slammed the centre for being incapable of arranging coal.
This is not the first time the CG CM has written to the Union minister in regards to coal crises. In the letter dated Feb 5, 2020, Baghel had demanded – the additional levy amount of Rs 4,140.21 crore on coal from the Centre. Baghel has written to seek from the Centre, the state’s rightful share of additional levy collected from coal block allottees of the state.