Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Arrives Today In Odisha, To Take Stock Of Coal

Bhubaneswar: Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi will arrive in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday evening to inspect coal production and stock at the Talcher coalfield.

Joshi, who will be on a three-day visit to the state, will visit Paradip Port on Thursday, from where he will go to the Talcher coalfield. He will inspect six railway sidings at Hingula coal mines, from where coal is transported to power plants of the country.

Joshi will also visit NTPC’s Kaniha power plant and inspect stock levels there.

He will meet officials of the Mines Department on Friday. He will also review activities of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited and NALCO.

The Union Minister will also meet Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The Union Minister’s visit comes amid an acute shortage of coal in power plants of the country.

The Talcher coalfield accounts for more than 60 per cent output of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited, the flagship company of Coal India Limited.

The country is facing an acute shortage of coal. The stock held by the thermal power plants has hit critically low levels Already, states like Punjab, Rajasthan and Bihar have resorted to load-shedding. As much as 80 per cent of India’s coal demand is met from domestic production.