National
Coal India has planned output of 1 bn tonnes by 2020: Goyal
New Delhi: State-miner Coal India (CIL) has been given a gross output target of one billion tonnes of coal by 2019-20, which is around double the current production, Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal said Thursday.
“To produce 1,000 million tonnes of coal, the expected growth is to come from identified future projects,” Goyal told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.
“The envisaged growth is possible in brown-field as well as green-field areas and is expected to be achieved through timely completion of new railway infrastructure projects, faster environment clearances and improvement in the law and order situation, apart from technology improvement in mining and related infrastructure,” he added.
At an event here Wednesday, Goyal had said the coal target was not a fanciful one and a detailed plan had been prepared to realise it.
CIL, which has near-monopoly, produces around 490 million tonnes of coal out of the total domestic annual production of 565 million tonnes. The company missed its output target of 482 million tonnes for 2013-14, producing 462 million tonnes during the period.
Its target for the current financial year has been set at 507 million tonnes.
In reply to another question, Goyal said a range of options are available for private players for investment in the power sector for generation of electricity that include the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) and Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) models.
He said the Centre has notified guidelines and model bidding documents in 2013-14 for procurement of electricity by amending earlier guidelines notified in 2005 due to inadequate treatment of fuel risks and termination provisions.
“For the DBFOT mode of power procurement, the project assets are required to be handed over to the utilities after successful completion of the concession period,” the minister said.
“An option has also been given to the developer to take project assets on lease basis up to 99 years on successful completion of contract,” he added.
For other modes of procurement, the project assets continue to be owned by the developers after completion of contract period.
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.