'Single Window Clearance' portal launched by Ministry of Coal
By TIOL News Service
NEW DELHI, JAN 12, 2021: HOME Minister Mr Amit Shah on Monday launched the Ministry of Coal's 'Single Window Clearance' online platform that facilitates grant of clearances and approvals required for the smooth operationalisation of coal mines.
Speaking at the event, Mr Shah said that the coal sector will play a key role in achieving the USD 5 trillion economy target set by Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi and help fulfil the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
"Coal sector plays a key role in our economy, a boost in the coal sector will directly boost India's economy," he wrote on Twitter.
About the online platform, he said it would help bring transparency to the sector and remove the bottlenecks.
Coal Minister Mr Pralhad Joshi said the sector had witnessed massive transformations and reforms in the past six years.
"The 'Single Window Clearance' portal is in the spirit of "Minimum Government and Maximum Governance." It would be a milestone for Ease of Doing Business in the Indian coal sector," he added.
The event also saw the execution of agreements with the 19 bidders who were allotted mines under the country's first commercial coal mining auction. All successful bidders require approval or clearances before starting mining operations.
Before the launch of the Single Window Clearance, the companies would have had to get approval from different departments of the Central and state governments. However, now the process will be facilitated through the unified platform which will map not only the relevant application formats, but also process flow for grant of approval or clearances.
"We have reformed the coal, and now coal will transform the nation," said Mr Joshi, announcing that the next tranche of commercial mines auctions will be launched later this month.
The commercial mining auctions aim to reduce India's coal import by about 20% and give the states an estimated revenue of about Rs 6,500 crore per year while creating over 70,000 jobs.