Tadicherla block to produce 5M tonne coal; Centre to allow SCCL to start extraction: Bhatti

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu today said the Centre is likely to allow Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) to extract coal from Tadicherla block-II.

Bhatti had made a representation to the Union Minister for Coal Prahlad Joshi. He also had a discussion with Power Minister RK Singh regarding solar power for low-income households.

Tadicherla block-II can produce 5 million tonnes of coal

Bhatti Vikramarka said discussions were held with the union ministers on coal mine to be allocated for Singareni and the implementation of Prime Minister Suryagar Muptu Bijili Yojana scheme in Telangana.

In 2013, the then government allocated Tadicherla coal block-II coal in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district to SCCL to meet the coal requirement. He said that 5 million tonnes of coal can be extracted from Tadicherla coal block-II.

BRS didn't get prior approval from the Centre

The deputy chief minister said that there is also a possibility of extracting 182 million tonnes of coal deposits for the next three decades from Tadicherla coal block-II.

“If the previous BRS government had brought this mine into production, the SCCL would have accumulated profits. In the last decade, the BRS government did not seek approval for the extracting coal from Tadicherla coal block-II, which has caused severe financial loss to Telangana and SCCL,” he said.

Profits to Telangana and SCCL

Highlighting the benefits of Tadicherla coal block-II, Bhatti Vikramarka said they are expecting profits from SCCL which will help in generating revenue for Telangana. Similarly, the Centre has also been requested to remove the obstacles for SCCL to extract coal from the Naini coal mines allotted in Odisha.

Due to the delay in extracting coal from Naini blocks allocated to generate thermal power in the Jaipur power plant, it had become a burden. He said the Centre has been asked to grant permission for production at Naini coal blocks.

Union Coal Minister assured Bhatti Vikramarka that the issue would be discussed with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to grant the necessary permissions for coal production at Naini blocks.

On virtual metering, the deputy chief minister said that under the Pradhan Mantri Suryagar Muptu Bijili Yojana scheme virtual metering system has been implemented to benefit many poor people as they do not have rooftop facilities on their houses and cannot take loans from banks. The Centre has been requested to cooperate with the state government in this regard, he said.

“We have submitted a proposal to the Center which will help to provide solarization to people quickly. The Union Minister has also responded positively to our proposal to benefit the poor and said that he will decide after a thorough examination,” the deputy chief minister said.