Amendment of coal linkage policy for 12th Plan Power Projects

The  foll ow ing criteria  has been added  for  getting coal linkage for power projects in 12th Plan

"Actual drawal of coal will be subject to 85% of power being tied up through long term PPA with DISCOMs through tariff based competitive bidding (except for PSL projects where PPAs were signed by 05/01/2011.”

This issue with the approval of Minister of Power.

Planning Commission has constituted a Working Group on Power

Planning Commission has constituted a Working Group on Power in the context of preparation of Twelfth Five Year Plan under the chairmanship of Secretary (Power) and members from vanous Ministries/Departments/PSUs and private sector representatives vide order dated 4th March,  2011.

Further, in order to assist the Working Group in its task separate Sub­ Groups on specific aspects have been constituted. The Sub-Group 4 on 'Legislative   and  Policy  Issues  - Formulation,  Implementation  and Feedback'     has    been    constituted    under    the     chairmanship    of Sh. Ashok Lavasa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Power. Study groups within Sub group IV have been constituted with members from various Ministries/ Departments/ PSUs/ Power Utilities/ Private sector and Elite Educational Institutions.

 The Terms of Reference ofthe Sub-Group will be as under:-

i)   Review status of various Policies notified under Electricity Act, 2003 and identify steps to realize objectives of Act.
ii)    Recommend Industry Structure to:

a.   Enhance number of players b.   Promote competition

c.   Provide  consistent  &  transparent  pncmg  regime  and  raise conversion, transmission, distribution and end use efficiency.

d.   Improve efficiency

iii)       Review of ongoing Reform process undertaken by States in the Power Sector with special emphasis on financial health of distribution utilities.

In this regard, Suggestions/ Feed back/ Comments are invited from all the stake holders/ general public at subgroup4policy@googlegroups.com and subgroup4policy@gmail.com.

Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) have asked the government to reconsider its decision to deallocate the Gondulpara coal block

Tenughat Vidyut Nigam (TVNL) and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) have asked the government to reconsider its decision to deallocate the Gondulpara coal block jointly allocated to them in Jharkhand as the mine falls in a "no-go" zone.

The development comes in the backdrop of the Coal Ministry last month deciding to cancel the allotment of 14 coal blocks and one lignite block to six PSUs, including TVNL and DVC, over their failure to develop the mines.

"TVNL and DVC wrote a letter to the Coal Ministry last week and requested it to reconsider its decision of deallocation of Gondulpara coal block," sources in the Coal Ministry said.

The coal mine was allocated in 2006 to TVNL as a leader and DVC as an associate to meet the coal requirement for their joint venture power project.
The ministry had in October last month issued a notice to both firms asking them to explain why the coal blocks allocated should not be withdrawn over their failure to develop the reserves within the stipulated time.

Under its deallocation drive, the Coal Ministry has this year cancelled coal blocks of various firms, including five mines of National Thermal Power Corporation and three blocks of Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation.

Other firms that were sent deallocation letters by the Coal Ministry include Bhatia International Ltd, Shree Bhaidyanath Ayurved Bhavan Ltd, Jharkhand State Electricity Board, Damodar Valley Corporation and Gondwana Ispat Ltd,
among others.

To weed out non-serious players, the government had last year issued notices to 84 coal and four lignite block allocatees for not developing the same within the stipulated time and sought an explanation as to why the rights to the blocks should not be cancelled.

Fate of DVC

Indian government after relaying on Its bureaucracy and technocrats Thursday has approved Amendment to Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948 for the reconstitution of the Damodar Valley Corporation with four full time members.

The decision to this effect was taken by The Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that a Damodar Valley Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2011 will be introduce in Indian parliament for the reconstitution of the Damodar Valley Corporation with four full time members, namely, Chairman, Member (Technical), Member (Finance) and Member Secretary; and six part time members, namely – one representative from the Central Government; two representatives – one each from the Government of Jharkhand and the Government of West Bengal; three independent experts- one each from the field of irrigation, water supply and generation or transmission of electricity.

The Chairman will be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. The posts of Financial Adviser and Secretary will be abolished.

A Bill to this effect will be introduced in the ensuing session of the Parliament.

The proposed amendment shall broad base and professionalize DVC by bringing outside professional independent experts to discharge its responsibilities more effectively and efficiently, allocate resources optimally and augment and generate large resources in order to take up new projects and to become a major power producer in the country besides doing its mandatory functions such as flood control, irrigation, water supply etc.

Background:

The Damodar Valley Corporation(DVC) was constituted under the Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948(Act). The Corporation is vested with the authority and autonomy for the integrated development of the Damodar River Valley.

Over the last more than sixty years, the role and expectations from DVC have changed significantly due to industrial development in the valley area. The demand for power by industry, especially coal, steel, railways and other consumers has gone up considerably, DVC has built power plants and stepped up its generation capacity over the years.

Ministry of Power appointed the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) to examine various alternative models for restructuring DVC and suggest the most viable one which would enable DVC to discharge its responsibilities more effectively and efficiently. The ASCI recommended the need of making the Corporation more broad based and professional.

Ministry of Power discussed the recommendations of the ASCI with the representatives of Governments of West Bengal, Jharkhand and the then Chairman, DVC. It was decided to amend the sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the Act relating to constitution of DVC Board. The Damodar Valley Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2007 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 4th May, 2007 and the Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Energy for detailed examination. The Standing Committee on Energy in its report suggested certain modifications in the Bill. The Ministry examined the recommendations contained in the Report and prepared a fresh proposal.

There was no way but to release water at the rate of 30,000 cusec and it will continue to do so till Wednesday, since the Panchet Dam was still flowing about 3 feet above danger level

KOLKATA: Torrential rain over the last few days due to an intense depression over the Bay of Bengal has rendered almost 2 lakh people homeless in East Midnapore in West Bengal . Sabong and Daspur regions in West Midnapore have also been critically affected. 

State irrigation minister Manas Bhunia and Union minister of state for rural development Sisir Adhikary have rushed to the flood affected areas. Bhunia said that as a result of the overall deluge, several embankments along rivers like Kansabati, Keleghai, Kapaleswari, Silabati and Chendia had collapsed. 

Moves were on to repair these embankments on a war-footing. He also said that he had cancelled the leave of all irrigation department employees due to the flood situation. 

The zilla parishad in East Midnapore and most of the gram panchayats there are being governed by Trinamool since 2008. "We had repeatedly told the previous government about the pathetic infrastructure in this district and about the dangerous condition of most of the dams. But nothing was done. 

Now our government has begun work on a war footing," said Tamluk MP Suvendu Adhikary. He said more than 10,000 homes have already been destroyed. "We have urged the state government to provide financial support from the calamity relief fund to those people whose houses have collapsed. 

Last year, East Midnapore had not got any financial assistance from the CPM government after cyclone Aila, since the zilla parishad was run by the Trinamool Congress. The fund was shifted to north 24-Parganas, where the ZP was governed by CPM," he added. 

The flood situation, Bhunia said, was being closely monitored by a high power committee comprising himself, industry minister Partha Chatterjee , planning and development minister Manish Gupta, fire services minister Javed Khan and the state's chief secretary Samar Ghosh. 

"This committee is in constant touch with the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). We are holding talks with them in regard to discharge of water from various barrages under the DVC," Bhunia said. On DVC's side, there was no way but to release water at the rate of 30,000 cubic feet per second (cusec) and it will continue to do so till Wednesday, since the Panchet Dam was still flowing about 3 feet above danger level. 

DVC, which acts as the operator of the sluice gates at the dam, releases water on instructions received from Central Water Commission (CWC). On Monday, CWC asked DVC to release 30,000 cusecs of water because upstream Tenughat Dam in Jharkhand was releasing water at an even higher rate of 40,000 cusecs since Monday. At 30,000 cusecs, it takes 24 hours to immerse 60,000 acres under one feet of water. 

A senior CWC official said: "Tenughat Dam, however, has reduced the water outflow since morning and the water level at DVC's Panchet Dam is gradually decreasing. However, we will take a call on Wednesday."


ET

DVC planning to shift power plant to WB from Jharkhand: Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay

Jamshedpur, June 21 (PTI) Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay today said Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) was "preparing to shift" its proposed 1200 MW power plant in Jharkhand to West Bengal because of "lackadaisical approach" of Arjun Munda-led Jharkhand government to allot land. Sahay claimed at a press conference here that the DVC's proposed plant was to be set up at Jhumir Tilaya in Koderma district but the Central public sector undertaking was now preparing to shift the project to West Bengal as no initiative was taken by the Jharkhand government as yet. Highlighting the "pathetic" state-of-affair of the Jharkhand government, the Union Tourism minister alleged that the Arjun Munda government could not even allot five acres of land to DVC to shift its headquarters to Ranchi from Kolkata. The Jharkhand government which was functioning from the premises of another CPSU Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) did not repay Rs 150 crore to HEC for using its premises, Sahay claimed. Similarly, there was no progress to the ambitious mega food park, which he himself approved while as Union Food Processing minister three years ago. He also alleged that the Jharkhand government has failed to allot land for the proposed Indian Institute of Management (Ranchi) and the Maulana Azad Open University.

PTI

The Damodar Valley Corporation today released 45,000 cusecs of water from the Durgapur Barrage and was expected to release another 11,000 cusecs by tonight, but it would not pose danger of floods in any south Bengal district.

Kolkata, June 21 (PTI) The Damodar Valley Corporation today released 45,000 cusecs of water from the Durgapur Barrage and was expected to release another 11,000 cusecs by tonight, but it would not pose danger of floods in any south Bengal district.

Burdwan District Magistrate Onkar Singh Meena said that there was absorption capacity upto 60,000 cusecs and there was no danger of floods.

If there was heavy rain and the discharge crossed one lakh cusecs it could lead to floods in the districts of Burdwan, Hooghly, Howrah and East and West Midnapore, he said.

In the district people had been asked to move away from low-lying areas of Khandgosh, Raina, Jamalpur and Galsi, villages near the river Damodar, he said.

In West Midnapore district, the release of water by the DVC has led to a rise in the water levels of the Kangsaboti, Keleghai, Kapaleswari and Chandia rivers, Additional District Magistrate, Subhanjan Das.

He said that a population of 1.63 lakh has been affected by the recent rains which damaged crops and houses, he said.

Clothes, eatables and tarpaulin sheets were being distributed to the affected people, he said.

There was some shortage of tarpaulins for which an SOS was sent to the state government and another 15,000 tarpaulins have arrived, he said.

District Magistrate S Gupta said that the water level in the rivers was not alarming because of the DVC discharge and there was an adequate quantity of food.

The spectre of flood looms large with the Damodar Valley Corporation(DVC) set to release more 50,000 cusec of water following incessant heavy rainfall for the last three days

The spectre of flood looms large with the Damodar Valley Corporation(DVC) set to release more 50,000 cusec of water following incessant heavy rainfall for the last three days. Midnapore(west) ADM, Development, R K Maity said DVC had already released 32,000 cusec of water since last night. He said the most-affected areas of Ghatal, Daspur, Khirpai and Keshpur following the heavy downpour for the last three days had rendered 7000 people homeless and resulted in the death of three people.
Embankments in different areas of Ghatal, Daspur and Keshpur had breached submerging at least 150 villages in the districts, said Mr Maity.
He said while the traffic movement between Chandrakona and Daspur has been completely disrupted, the collapse of the Kalmijole wooden bridge affected the communication in Ghatal. Attempts to deliver dry food to the sumerged areas could not take place as vehicular traffic had been severely affected, he added.
''If situation worsens, we would request Kalaikunda Airport authority to air-drop the food and other relief materials,'' the AGM said.
Meanwhile, at least 15,000 people have been rendered homeless following incessant heavy downpour during the past 48 hours in Purulia district. ''Altogether 5,000 mud houses were destroyed rendering some fifteen thousand people homeless,'' District Magistrate Abanindra Singh said.
More than 3,000 tarpaulins had already been distributed among the affected, he said, adding the SDOs had also been instructed to distribute dry food and water if the situation so demands.
Meanwhile the Met official in Kolkata forecasts heavy rain in the next 24 hours

UNI

The Chief Minister also instructed the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) not to release water unless there was 'no other alternative.

Kolkata, Jun 19 : West Bengal Irrigation Minister Manas Bhunia met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee this evening and discussed the flood-like situation in five districts of the state.
The meeting between Mr Bhunia and Ms Banerjee took place at her residence and it lasted for about an hour.

According to reports , the Chief Minister directed Mr Bhunia and other ministers of her Cabinet to stay at their respective places to help the affected people and take all required measures to tackle the flood-like situation.
Ms Banerjee also urged Mr Bhunia to ensure evacuation of people from the low-lying areas if the water level of the rivers exceeded the danger mark.

The Chief Minister also instructed the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) not to release water unless there was 'no other alternative.' Incidentally, the DVC had sought permission from the Chief Minister for releasing atleast 12000 cusec of water.

A special control-room led by Commerce and Indusrties Minister Partha Chatterjee was set up in the State Secretariate to help assist the rescue and relief operations.

A number of rivers spread across Howrah, Hooghly, West Midnapore, South 24 parganas and North 24 Parganas districts were on spate following heavy rains for the last couple of days creating the flood-like situation and the Met Office forcast further rain in the coming two three days.

--UNI

Damaodar Valley Corporation (DVC) not to release water in order to control the flood-like situation in the state

Kolkata, June 19 (IANS) The West Bengal government Sunday asked Damaodar Valley Corporation (DVC) not to release water in order to control the flood-like situation in the state.
The decision came at a high level meeting held at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence, with Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee, Irrigation Minister Manas Bhunia, Disaster Management Minister Jawed Khan, and Development and Planning Minister Manish Gupta present.
‘It was decided that DVC will be asked not to release water without prior notification,’ Khan told IANS.
A control room has already been set up to look into the rehabilitation and relief camps for near about 6 lakh people in 10 districts who have been affected in the state, he said.
‘Relief material has already reached the affected areas. We are taking stock of the situation,’ Khan said.

DVC has requested the state government to allow it to release 10,000 to 12,000 cusecs to ease the pressure on the dams due to incessant rainfall

MIDNAPORE: With the spectre of flood looming large, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday evening held an emergency meeting with irrigation minister Manas Bhunia in her Kalighat home to take stock of the rapidly deteriorating situation and to deal with it on a war footing. The CM has also formed a three-member cabinet committee, comprising state industries minister Partha Chatterjee, minister for disaster management Jawed Khan and Bhunia himself to keep a round-the-clock tab on the situation.

The CM also informed her cabinet colleagues that any further release of water from the DVC's Panchet or Mython dams should only be done after people living along the river's downstream be evacuated to safer places. DVC has requested the state government to allow it to release 10,000 to 12,000 cusecs to ease the pressure on the dams due to incessant rainfall.
"According to the CM's directives, any release of water by DVC should be only after consultation with the DMs of Burdwan, Hooghly and Howrah," Bhunia said. He admitted that the situation was assuming threatening proportions due to the unexpected heavy rainfall. "Even an otherwise arid district of Bankura has received 300 mm of rainfall," he said.

The situation turned worse in West Midnapore's Debra. Nearly 5,000 people belonging to 14 villages in Raipur block were inundated after the DVC was forced to release 15,000 cusecs in Kansabati river from the Tarapheni barrage late on Saturday. People alleged that the administration was yet to provide relief. Local MLA Radha Kanta Maiti is camping on the spot with a large contingent of police.

The Rupnarayan has already caused damage in Kolaghat, said Bhunia. "Four deaths have been reported from Bankura and North 24-Parganas," he said. An emergency control room has already been set up at the Jalsampad Bhawan in Salt Lake, manned by senior engineers.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today approved the amendment to the DVC Act, 1948, to reconstitute the corporation.

NEW DELHI, 16 JUNE: In a move aimed at making the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) a major power producer in the country, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today approved the amendment to the DVC Act, 1948, to reconstitute the corporation. The Bill to amend the Act is to be brought in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament. Under the amendment, there will be four full time members, the chairman, member (technical), member (finance) and member secretary; and six part time members ~ one representative from the Central government; one representative each from the Government of West Bengal and the Government of Jharkhand and three independent experts from the fields of irrigation, water supply and generation or transmission of electricity. The chairman will be the chief executive officer of the corporation. The posts of financial adviser and secretary will be abolished.
The proposed amendment will broad base and professionalise DVC by bringing outside professional independent experts to discharge its responsibilities more effectively and efficiently, allocate resources optimally and augment and generate large resources in order to take up new projects and to become a major power producer in the country besides doing its mandatory functions such as flood control, irrigation, water supply.
The Cabinet also approved the proposal of ministry of defence for transfer on lease basis of 15.19 acres of defence land in perpetuity to Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) for construction of class rooms and staff quarters and provisioning of various other infrastructure amenities required for proper functioning of KV No. 2, Sohana Road, Gurgaon.
It also approved the proposal of ministry of defence for transfer on lease basis of 8.90 acres of defence land in perpetuity to Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) for construction of Kendriya Vidyalaya School and other related infrastructure required for proper functioning of the school of KV No. 3, Air Force Station Chakeri, Kanpur.

Source SNS

DVC Chandrapura Thermal Power Plant to begin commercial power production very soon as per Chairman DVC

Bokaro, Jun 18: Newly appointed Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) chairman R N Sen has said the Chandrapura power plant, with 500MW capacity, would start commercial power production soon.Talking to reporters here last evening, Mr Sen said efforts were on for commercial production of power in the Chandrapura plant.

Mr Sen, after visiting new and old power plants of Chandrapura, also held meeting with the DVC employees and took stock of the situation.
He said the corporation was passing through a hard time and new plans would be made for its revival.

''Our main focus is to strengthen the corporation economically,'' he said.

The DVC chairman also visited Koderma's Maithon plant before reaching here.

Refering to Koderma plant, he said non-allocation of land for construction of ponds was one among the main obstacles in establishment of the proposed power plant.

Source UNI

Amendment to Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Power

16-June-2011 12:18 IST

Amendment to Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948

The Union Cabinet today approved introduction of Damodar Valley Croporation (Amendment) Bill 2011 for the reconstitution of the Damodar Valley Corporation with four full time members, namely, Chairman, Member (Technical), Member (Finance) and Member Secretary; and six part time members, namely – one representative from the Central Government; two representatives – one each from the Government of Jharkhand and the Government of West Bengal; three independent experts- one each from the field of irrigation, water supply and generation or transmission of electricity. The Chairman will be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. The posts of Financial Adviser and Secretary will be abolished.

A Bill to this effect will be introduced in the ensuing session of the Parliament.

The proposed amendment shall broad base and professionalise DVC by bringing outside professional independent experts to discharge its responsibilities more effectively and efficiently, allocate resources optimally and augment and generate large resources in order to take up new projects and to become a major power producer in the country besides doing its mandatory functions such as flood control, irrigation, water supply etc.

Background:

The Damodar Valley Corporation(DVC) was constituted under the Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948(Act). The Corporation is vested with the authority and autonomy for the integrated development of the Damodar River Valley.

Over the last more than sixty years, the role and expectations from DVC have changed significantly due to industrial development in the valley area. The demand for power by industry, especially coal, steel, railways and other consumers has gone up considerably, DVC has built power plants and stepped up its generation capacity over the years.

Ministry of Power appointed the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) to examine various alternative models for restructuring DVC and suggest the most viable one which would enable DVC to discharge its responsibilities more effectively and efficiently. The ASCI recommended the need of making the Corporation more broad based and professional.

Ministry of Power discussed the recommendations of the ASCI with the representatives of Governments of West Bengal, Jharkhand and the then Chairman, DVC. It was decided to amend the sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the Act relating to constitution of DVC Board. The Damodar Valley Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2007 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 4th May, 2007 and the Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Energy for detailed examination. The Standing Committee on Energy in its report suggested certain modifications in the Bill. The Ministry examined the recommendations contained in the Report and prepared a fresh proposal.

AD/SK/SM

The chairman will be designated chief executive officer of DVC while posts of financial adviser and secretary will be abolished

Government will introduce a bill in the ensuing session of parliament to reconstitute Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). The cabinet in its decision here approved introduction of DVC (Amendment) Bill 2011 with four full time members including a chairman, member (technical), member (finance) and member secretary.


The chairman will be designated chief executive officer of DVC while posts of financial adviser and secretary will be abolished, a statement issued by cabinet said.


Apart from the four full time members, there will be six part time members – one representative from the central government; one representative each from the government of Jharkhand and West Bengal; one independent expert each from the fields of irrigation, water supply and generation or transmission of electricity.


DVC was constituted under the Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948(Act). The corporation is vested with authority and autonomy for the integrated development of the Damodar river valley.


Since more than 60 years, the role and expectations from DVC have changed significantly due to industrial development in the valley area. The demand for power by industry like coal, steel, railways and other consumers has gone up considerably and DVC has built power plants and stepped up its generation capacity over the years.


The DVC (Amendment) Bill 2007 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on May 4, 2007 and it was referred to the standing committee on energy for detailed examination. The standing committee on Energy in its report suggested certain modifications in the Bill. The ministry examined the recommendations contained in the report and prepared a fresh proposal.


“The proposed amendment shall broad base and professionalise DVC by bringing outside professional independent experts to discharge its responsibilities more effectively and efficiently,” statement said. It would allocate resources optimally and generate large resources in order to take up new projects and to become a major power producer in the country besides doing its mandatory functions such as flood control, irrigation, water supply, it added.

New bill in House soon to reconstitute DVC

The government is to table a Bill in the coming session of Parliament to reconstitute the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), in line with recommendations from the Administrative Staff College of India, the Union Cabinet decided today.
The present DVC Act came into being in 1948, the first multipurpose river valley project of independent India. Modelled on the Tennessee Valley Authority of the US, the 24,000 sq km covered by DVC activities are partly in Jharkhand and partly in West Bengal.
The Union ministry of power had asked ASCI to examine various alternative models for restructuring the DVC in line with today’s needs and suggest the most viable one. The aim was to make the functioning more professional.

The Bill would amend the present DVC Act to have a board with four full-time members (chairman, member (technical), member (finance) and member-secretary, with the chairman also the CEO) and six part-time members. Namely, a representative each from the central government and the two state governments and three independent experts, one each from the fields of irrigation, water supply and generation or transmission of electricity.

Govt clears bill for inducting professionals into DVC

NEW DELHI: The government today cleared a bill for introduction in Parliament that will facilitate induction of independent professionals into the state-run power firm Damodar Valley Corporation.

The decision to facilitate the running of DVC in line with modern corporate practices was taken by the Union Cabinet .

Under the proposed structure, the DVC board will have four full-time members, including Chairman, and six part-time members, including those representing the Centre and the state governments of Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The part-time members will also include independent experts in the field of irrigation, water supply and electricity transmission, an official statement said.

The Chairman will also be CEO of the Corporation which was constituted by an Act of Parliament in 1948. It was mandated with authority and autonomy for an integrated development of Damodar River Valley.

The bill to amend Damodar Valley Corporation Act will be introduced in the ensuing session of Parliament, it said.

The changes in the management structure are brought about as per recommendations of a study conducted by the Hyderabad-based Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI).

As per the current organisational structure of the company, there is a Chairman and two members representing Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Over the last more than sixty years, the role and expectations from DVC have changed significantly due to industrial development in the valley area.

The proposed amendment shall broad base and professionalise DVC by bringing outside professional independent experts to discharge its responsibilities more effectively and efficiently.

Coal Ministry revokes mining licences of NTPC, DVC

NEW DELHI: The coal ministry on Thursday issued orders to revoke mining licences of five blocks of NTPC, Damodar Valley Corp and Jharkhand State Electriciy Board . Of the five coal blocks, three -- Chatti Bariatu, Chatti Bariatu (South) and Kerandari- belong to NTPC. The company denied offering any comment.

The coal ministry had last month announced decision to revoke licences of 15 coal and lignite blocks, 12 of which belonged to state-run companies. On June 1, letters were issued to three companies Bhaidyanath Ayurved Bhavan, Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corp and Bhatia International for cancellation of five blocks.

Chatti Bariatu and Kerandari coal blocks were allocated to NTPC in 2006, while Chatti Bariatu (South) coal block was given to public sector firm in 2007.

The other two blocks are Damodar Valley Corp's Saharpur Jamarpani and Jharkhand State Electricity Board's Banhardih. While Saharpur Jamarpani was allocated in 2007, Banhardih was given in 2006.
The move is followed by recommendations of a review committee on progress of coal blocks. The panel had originally recommended de-allocation of 31 coal blocks held by 26 firms including Tata Steel , NTPC, Hindalco and Nevyeli Lignite Corporation. The de-allocated blocks would be allotted to Coal India Ltd or its subsidiaries for mining.

Facilitate the induction of independent professionals in power utility Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC)

The cabinet today cleared a bill, which will broadbase the management structure and facilitate the induction of independent professionals in power utility Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). The bill will be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament.

Under the proposed structure, the DVC board will have four full-time members, including the chairman, and six part-time members, including those representing the Centre and the state governments of Jharkhand and Bengal. The part-time members will also include independent experts in irrigation, water supply and electricity transmission.

Union Power ministry has finally appointed a full time chairman at the State-run Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC)

Union Power ministry has finally appointed a full time chairman at the State-run Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC). R N Sen, Chief Executive Officer of NTPC SAIL Power Corporation Ltd, took up the reins of DVC with effect from June 10.

DVC Chairman’s post has been lying vacant since July 20, 2010, when its previous Chairman Subrata Biswas and IAS officer was prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre, that is Kerala.

Before Biswas had taken over as the Chairman of DVC, the State-run power utility had been without a full time chairman for ten months also.

DVC Officers’ Forum spokesman Ashok Mukherjee told FC, “It has been our long pending demand before the union power ministry and union finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, that someone with engineering background should be at the DVC’s helms to steer the organisation’s ways clear through this crisis. We are happy that the Centre has responded positively.”

Mamata wants to revive MAMC

The revival of the closed Mining and Allied Machinery Corporation (MAMC) in Durgapur was discussed by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee with shareholder Coal India Ltd on Thursday. The discussions were confirmed by CIL Chairman N C Jha after the meeting. He said the transfer of MAMC land would have to take place for starting cleaning and development work.
"We expect the land transfer to take place next month", he said.
CIL holds 26% in MAMC, BEML 48% and DVC 26%. The consortium had already spent Rs 100 crore for acquiring the assets of the company closed in 2001 after a BIFR winding up order.
He said the chief minister had also asked CIL subsidiary Eastern Coalfields to take steps to check illegal mining.
The chief minister also urged CIL to indulge in CSR activity by planting trees, Jha added.

No forcible acquisition, not even for power plants: Mamta

KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee is not prepared to evoke land-losing pangs by invoking the Land Acquisition Act 1894 -- not even for necessities like electricity. In a meeting on Friday, the chief minister, who is also the power minister, decided that her government will not acquire land for power projects through the centuries-old Act that calls for forcible acquisition.
Mamata has already set up a two-member land committee comprising former land and land reforms commissioner Debabrata Bandopadhyay and barrister Somendra Nath Basu to formulate the most acceptable land acquisition policy. But the only land acquisition project that will get a green signal in the near future seems to be for the 6,000 acres to build embankments in Aila-hit Sundarbans. Here, too, land will be taken only after prior consultations at the gram samsad, gram panchayat level and will be offered government jobs (subject to appropriate vacancies). The solatium amount will be increased to 60% from 30%.

The chief minister has given a go-ahead to this project considering the vulnerability of the islanders of Sundarbans. She wants to start the work by September 1.
However, Mamata doesn't feel the same way for power projects. Last Friday, she held a meeting with officials of power department, the state power utilities, DVC and NTPC to take stock of the state's dismal power situation. "At the meeting, the chief minister made it very clear that not an inch of land will be acquired for power projects under the current Land Acquisition Act," said a source in the know. Officials cited the ongoing Katwa plants (units 1 and 2), each with 800 MW capacity -- saying land acquisition was the need of the hour for these plants. Bengal's projected shortfall in peak seasons -- as pointed out by the Eastern Regional Power Committee (ERPC) under the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) - will be 1,349 MW in 2012; 2,194 MW in 2013; 3074 MW in 2014 and 4050 MW in 2015.
With the Katwa power plant project underway, the state power utility needs a total 1,100 acres of which 450 is in government possession. Mamata stressed on consultation even if that takes some time for the power project that is already two years behind schedule.
Last September, WBPDCL decided to transfer the Katwa projects to NTPC because of funds crunch. But the state government must go ahead with the acquisition and hand over the land to NTPC. Around Rs 134 crore have already been sunk in.
As per CEA's stock-taking report last year, West Bengal, which used to proclaim itself a power-surplus regions once upon a time, failed to equip itself against the huge shortfall. Referring to the Planning Commission's stern views of Bengal's power planning, CEA observed that the state had known since 2002 that the average increase in power demand is 450 MW annually.
And now the government's latest stand would affect 5800-MW projects that are in the pipeline. All these have been projected in the ongoing 11th Five-Year Plan.

DVC GOT NEW CHAIRMAN

R N Sen today took charge as the chairman of the Damodar Valley Corporation, company sources said here.

Sen was earlier the CEO of NSPCL, a joint venture of NTPC&SAIL that manages captive power plants of SAIL's production centres.

DVC got its new chairman nearly after a year. DVC Officers Association welcomed his appointment and thanked the central government for appointing an engineer in the post which they had demanded.

Source PTI