The Government has sought technical cooperation with the Government of Poland in the field of coal and lignite mining and also asked companies from the European country to invest in India.

The Coal Minister, Mr Sriprakash Jaiswal, who met the Poland Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Waldemar Pawlak, yesterday, also discussed the scope for technical cooperation between both the nations, particularly in the manufacturing of underground mining machinery, an official statement said today.

“Further, extraction of coalbed methane... environmental issues of coal mining were also discussed. Investments by Polish companies covering the above mentioned areas were desired by the Indian side, for which the Polish side assured participation in the tender process,” the statement said.

The delegation, which is in the last leg of its 10-day visit to three European nations, will also visit the underground machinery manufacturing facilities of different firms.

The high-level delegation visiting the Czech Republic, Belarus and Poland also includes the Ministry of Coal Special Secretary, Mr Alok Perti, and the Coal India Chairman and Managing Director, Mr N.C. Jha.