T govt to shop for coal outside India

• Forms 10-member team to leave for Mozambique, Australia, Chile and Indonesia
• CMD of Singareni Collieries and Principal Secretary to CM part of delegation
• KCR seeks special increment for Singareni employees from T and treat absence during 'Sakala Janula Samme' as leave

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Monday constituted a 10-member delegation to scout for availability of coal in countries like Mozambique, Australia, Chile and Indonesia.

The delegation would comprise CMD Singareni Collieries, Principal Secretary to CM and other officials. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who reviewed the coal position in the State, directed the officials to see if the company could divest the shares of the GoI and convert it into a State-owned company.

On thermal power projects, Singareni Collieries Chairman and MD S Bhattacharya assured the Chief Minister that both the 600MW power plants initiated by the company would be ready by November 15, 2015.

KCR said the proposed 4,000 MW NTPC power plant would require 1,500 acres land of Singareni Collieries at Ramagundam. Similarly, the Telangana GENCO would require 400 acres of land in Ramagundam and 2,000 acres of land at Manuguru. He instructed the Singareni Officials to initiate steps to acquire lands for the said projects. The Chief Minister asked Bhattacharya to give the Singareni Collieries employees a special Telangana increment and treat their absence during the 'Sakala Janula Samme' as leave.