Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa will on October 10 sign an agreement with the Central Government to take over the coal block, alloted to the State at Singrauli coalfield in Madhya Pradesh.
Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) at its board meeting on Thursday, also decided to apply for more coal blocks following approval from the State government.
Confirming this, Industries Minister Vishwajit Rane said, “We will be applying for more coal blocks in the 6th trench of the coal mine auction. What we have got is in the 5th trench,” he said.
Rane said that Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant had already cleared the proposal to apply for more coal blocks. He said the coal block allocation will help the State in meeting the power demands of the industrial sector. The sanctioned coal block could address Goa’s power needs for the next 10-15 years.
GIDC has decided to rope in a consultant to guide the corporation as to how to go ahead on coal block utilisation once the agreement is signed. “The consultant will help us appoint an agency in a transparent manner. It will also guide us on how to operate the coal block,” GIDC chairman Glen Ticlo said.
Further, Ticlo said the corporation has decided to go ahead with the auction of the special economic zone land and for which currently, modalities are been worked out. He said an agency will be appointed to undertake the process.
