Kolkata: The West Bengal government has floated a global tender for Deocha Pachami, Asia's largest and the world's second-largest coal block, ahead of the eighth edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) slated for February 5-6 in Kolkata. This move reinforced Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's focus on coal production from the block when the state is planning to extract coal from 3400 acres of land despite opposition from locals earlier.
According to the state government, if this project is implemented, the state will receive an investment of Rs 35,000 crore and at least one lakh people will be benefited. There will be the opening of employment avenues for youth in the state. The global tender, which is based on the geological report, was called on December 20. West Bengal Power Development Corporation is looking for applications by February 3. Under her instructions, state chief secretary Manoj Pant rushed to Birbhum and took all the necessary steps to clear roadblocks for implementation of this ambitious project project. Apart from Pan, Power secretary Shantanu Basu was among the top officials present at the meeting.
According to the state government, if this project is implemented, an investment of Rs 35 thousand crore will be brought and at least one lakh people will be benefited. There will be employment. Now preparations have started for the main administrative building of the state.
The global tender, which is based on the geological report, was called on December 20. West Bengal Power Development Corporation is looking for applications by February 3.
Before the commencement of the meeting, allegations were raised in the case of the acquisition of Deocha Pachami land. There was a charge that lands were acquired without following the norm. However, the issue has been resolved now. A state government official said that before the coal was lifted from the coal mine, thick stones lying there would have to be removed. At present, an organisation has been roped in through tender for basalt extraction in about 376 acres of land. From this, 71.5 per cent revenue will come to the treasury of the Development Corporation. Apart from this, underground coal gasification work will also begin.
