Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India should be the world’s largest coal exporters considering the size of reserves it has and unlocking of coal mining for commercial players is a step in that direction.
Launching the virtual auction process of 41 coal blocks for commercial mining, expected to garner Rs 33,000 crore of capital investment in the country over next 5-7 years, the Prime Minister said it is a major step in the direction of achieving ‘self-reliance’.
He also said that the coronavirus pandemic has taught India to be self-reliant.
The launch of the auction process not only marks the beginning of unlocking of the country’s coal sector from the “lockdown of decades”, but aims at making India the largest exporter of coal, PM Modi said.
Despite being the world’s fourth largest producer at present, he said India is the second-largest importer of the dry-fuel.
“The country which the fourth-largest in terms of coal reserves and is the second-largest coal producer, that country is not exporting coal. But is the second-largest importer of coal. The big question is if India is the one of the largest coal producers in the world, then why can’t we become the largest exporter,” Modi said.
The PM further said, “To make India self-reliant in the energy sector, a major step is being taken. In the near future, we will be the major exporters of the products that we import now “.
He said, “India will turn this COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity. It has taught India to be self-reliant and we will reduce our dependence on imports.”
The Prime Minister also said that the government has set an aim of gasification of 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030 with an investment of Rs 20,000 crore.
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