Chinese firms have shown keen interest in helping state-run Coal India (CIL) to modernize its mines by technologically upgrading them and raising output to meet growing fuel needs of the thermal power plants in the country.
The Chinese firms, Beijing Huyau Engineering Company Limited and China Coal Overseas Development Company (CODCO), are among twelve firms which have responded to the Expression of Interest floated by the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) and are in talks with the organization to stake their claim in aiding CIL to bolster its output from its over 250 mines.
Both Beijing Huayu Engineering Company and CODCO are fully-owned subsidiaries of Chinese state-run Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC).
While Beijing Hyayu specializes in extending technological consultancy, CODCO is reportedly engaged in international projects of shaft sinking and roadway construction, equipment erection, technical service and supply.
A committee set up by CMPDI with chiefs of Eastern Coalfields and Mahanadi Coalfields as its members are currently examining the expertise of these Chinese companies and ten other firms to entrust them the task of furnishing a detailed report on ways to address the technological issues of CIL within four months.
Other consultancy firms in the fray include KPMG Advisory Services, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Wipro Infotech and Deloitte India.
“The shortlisted companies would be expected to execute a study focussing on assessing the gaps in technology upgradation in underground and opencast mines of CIL and to prepare a road map in this connection. We also expect the firms to highlight the technological constraints plaguing CIL and draw up a remedial blueprint to enhance the output,” stated a top coal ministry official.
The move to appoint consultancy firms is part of the overall move to increase public private partnership (PPP) in CIL's mining operations as the Planning Commission believes that the company has missed out on the technology front and can benefit a lot by resorting to the blueprints of consultancy firms.
The Plan panel is wary that India had already imported over 100 million tonnes of coal between in the last fiscal and imports are estimated to rise to 185 MT in 2016-17 if the demand supply deficit of about 75 MT is not bridged.
The government has also intensified efforts to re-structure CIL in a bid to infuse more vibrancy in its functioning. Global consultancy firms like Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, McKinsey, AT Kearney, EY, KPMG, ICICI Securities and Crisil are understood to be in the race for offering their expertise.
– Sourced
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