Despite the Coal Ministry's assertion that the pricing of coal on GCV (Gross Calorific Value) based grading system would have no significant change (in pricing), industry stakeholders perceive that the new pricing regime could have significant impact on the economy.
“We do not want the coal sector to be sick, but the MSME sector also needs protection,” Mr R K Mathur, Secretary, MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) said.
Responding to a query on the new coal pricing policy, Dr H. P. Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of NSIC (National Small Industries Corporation), said: “since coal is a key input for the small and medium enterprises, there should be no tinkering in the price of coal. The SMEs should not be allowed to be impacted by the pricing”.
The new system is based on the recommendations of the Integrated Energy Policy Committee and the Expert Committee on Road Map for coal sector reforms.