CM Shri Chouhan presses button to inaugurate two coal mines
Effort made in last term pays off
There will be capital investment of Rs 515 crores
1.4 lakh tons of coal will be produced annually, 1000 people will get employment
Union Ministers Shri Nitin Gadkari, Shri Prahlad Joshi and Maharashtra CM Shri Thackeray also join
भोपाल : शनिवार, जून 6, 2020, 18:43 IST
Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the Dhankasa and Sharda underground coal mines in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh online. Two Union Ministers, Road Transport and Highways Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari and Union Coal Minister Shri Prahlad Joshi were also present in a video conferencing ceremony.
More than one thousand people will get employment through these two underground coal mines of Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh. In the next four years, Coal India will start 20 mines, out of which 6 will be in Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan had made efforts during his former tenure for both the mines inaugurated today.
The mining work was formally started soon after the Chief Minister pressed the button. Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Uddhav Thackeray, Union Road Transport Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari and Coal Minister Shri Prahlad Joshi inaugurated the mine by pressing the button with remote. A total of three mines including Sharda and Dhankasa mines in Madhya Pradesh and Aadasa mine in Maharashtra. have been inaugurated.
CM Shri Chouhan thanks Prime Minister
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister Shri Modi, Union Minister Shri Gadkari, Shri Prahlad Joshi and Coal India. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular. He said that with the opening of these two coal mines in Madhya Pradesh, a new chapter of development will begin. Efforts were being made to start both these underground mines since the last tenure. Capital investment of Rs 458 crore from Dhankasa underground mine and Rs 57 crore from Sharda underground mine will be made. Both mines will produce 1.4 lakh tonnes of coal annually.
Madhya Pradesh ahead in mineral wealth
It may be noted that Madhya Pradesh ranks fourth in the country in coal production. The state produces 239 million tonnes of coal in a year through which the state receives revenue of Rs. 2 thousand crores. Mining work is undertaken by Coal India Limited in six districts including Chhindwara, Betul, Anuppur, Shahdol, Umaria and Singrauli. Of the 56 coal mines in the state, 23 are underground and 23 are open. Of these, a total of 16 mines are operational in Madhya Pradesh, which are mainly in Chhindwara and Betul districts. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh is a mineral-rich state with deposits of diamond, coal, methane gas, copper and limestone. While Madhya Pradesh is the most prominent state in diamond production, it is second in manganese and copper production and fourth in coal production in the country. Various measures are being taken to increase production of the chief minerals of the state.
Employment to one thousand people
The two underground mineral projects Dhankasa and Sharda mines inaugurated by Chief Minister Shri Chouhan by pressing the online button in Chhindwara district today, will not lead to annual production of 1.4 lakh tonnes of coal but also provide employment to about one thousand people. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that in this hour of Covid-19 crisis, after saving people and the country through lockdown and other arrangements, Prime Minister Shri Modi gave the mantra that ‘Jaan bhi hai aur jahan bhi hai’. This means that economic activities have to start with life which is mandatory for the country’s economy. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that he is grateful to the Union Coal Minister Shri Prahlad Joshi for the amount of Rs 20 crores given in the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Work will be done on Shri Gadkari’s suggestions
Chief Minister Shri Chouhan also said that as per the suggestions given by Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari, work will be done to realize the possibilities of production of coal-bed methane and urea in Madhya Pradesh. The Prime Minister has also given guidance to transform local into vocal, according to which steps will be taken. The coal mines operating presently are distant from the power plants. With the mines inaugurated today, the possibility of reducing the cost of transportation of coal production to Sarni plant can be realized. This will reduce many expenses. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that with this decision to get energy easily, the people of Chhindwara and Betul districts will get employment from both mines. Coal India will get full support from Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that both these mines will prove useful for self-reliant Madhya Pradesh with self-reliant India. Out of 6 mines to be started in the next four years, four mines will start in the current financial year itself. Western Coalfields is investing Rs 1300 crores in these 6 projects. In the coming years also, the state will get additional revenue from both these projects. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that as per the suggestion of Union Minister Shri Gadkari, work will also be done in the direction of extracting sand from coal waste and increasing the water level in the dam.
Chambal Express Way is actually Chambal Progress Way
Thanking Shri Gadkari for giving the gift of Chambal Expressway, Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that the 309 km route from Madhya Pradesh’s Vindhya to Rajasthan border is being included under Chambal Expressway and a four-lane is being made. There was a time when Chambal region was facing dacoit menace. The rugged area here is spread over lakhs of hectare area. The Chambal Express-way will become Chambal Progressway to give new heights to the development of the region.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that Union Minister Shri Gadkari is concerned about the development of Maharashtra. The beginning of new coal mine Aadasa and steps under the coal mining to develop infrastructure from mine to railway siding will be important for the development of Vidarbha region.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari said that there has been an increase in coal production in the country in the last 6 years. Proposal for investment of Rs 50 thousand crores has been approved for infrastructure development from the mines to railway siding in coal mining.
Shri Gadkari informed that these efforts are going on continuously in Vidarbha region. Farmers have received a total of Rs. 2600 crores from various schemes. A total of 5200 landholders have been benefited. Shri Gadkari informed that power plants in Maharashtra will use coal derived from the new coal mine Adasa. The capacity of the plants will increase. Shri Gadkari hoped that the use of coal gasification in Ballarshah and Chandrapur could produce urea and other types of fuel. This will also make the task of protecting the environment easier and the backwardness of Vidarbha region will be removed.
Union Coal and Mining Minister, Shri Prahlad Joshi said that the online inauguration of two coal mines today in the presence of chief guests Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Chouhan and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Thackeray is a significant step. Without power production, there cannot be progress in the country and the need for coal for this cannot be ignored.
About three quarters of the electricity in the country comes from thermal power plants, for which coal is mandatory. Shri Joshi assured that keeping the environment issue in mind, efforts will be enhanced to invest in coal production sector for a self-reliant India. A new policy is proposed to promote private sector as well, the announcement of which is likely this month. Shri Joshi hoped that Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra will be able to provide employment to people in the districts related to the new coal mines.
