Maharashtra govt to import coal to tide over load shedding crisis: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said that in order to tide over the current load shedding crisis in the state the government has decided to import coal to some extent from outside the country for power generationHe also said that efforts were on to get one coal mine in Chhattisgarh allocated to the power department in MaharashtraSpeaking to reporters here Pawar said the supply of coal was not being done in the country the way it should beLoad shedding is going on in the state A meeting was held on this issue by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray I will take a review of the power department every week on the issue of load shedding and the cabinet has given its approval to check whether there is any availability of power in the country he saidEfforts are being made to do away with load shedding and to ensure smooth power supply in the state the senior NCP leader saidCoal supply to several states is insufficient Maharashtra is also not getting enough supply and that is why we have taken a decision to import coal to some extent from outside the country Besides that efforts are being made to get one coal mine allocated for Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited MahagencoEnergy Minister Nitin Raut is working on it Pawar addedCongress president Sonia Gandhi has also asked the Chattishgarh government which is of a similar ideology to allocate one coal mine to Maharashtra he saidReplying to a question whether the BJPled Centre was indulging in vendetta politics by not providing coal to Maharashtra Pawar said the supply of coal to various states was not happening the way it should be doneThere are issues of railway wagons Today railway wagons are needed to transport coal sugar wheat and other essential commodities which need to be taken to the ports I do not want to bring any politics into it I do not want to make that kind of allegation but it is a fact that there is a shortage of coal the deputy chief minister saidLast week minister Nitin Raut had said that load shedding in the state was a result of increase in electricity demand relaxation of the COVID19 curbs and blamed the Centre for poor management of coal supplyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever