Syllabus Section: Economy

Why in News?

Ministry of Coal launched Single Window Clearance Portal, a unified platform that facilitates the grant of clearances and approvals required for starting a coal mine in India.

Background:

• Currently, about 19 major approval or clearances are required to be obtained before starting a coal mine in the country.

• Some of them include approval of Mining Plan and Mine Closure Plan, Grant of Mining Lease, Environment and Forest Clearances, Wild Life Clearance, Clearances related to Safety, Environment, Rehabilitation of project affected families, the welfare of workers, etc.

• These approvals or clearances are granted either by central or state governments.

• In the absence of a unified platform for grant of clearances/approvals for starting a coal mine, the project proponents are required to approach different administrative ministries and government departments separately to apply for the requisite clearances leading to delay in the operationalization of coal mines.

 

About:

• 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.

• Presently, about 19 major approval or clearances are required to be obtained before starting a coal mine in the country.

• The Portal will map not only the relevant application formats but also process flow for grant of approval or clearances.

 

 

Why Single-window Clearance Portal in Coal Sector is needed?

• In the absence of a unified platform for grant of clearances, the companies were required to approach different departments and leading to delay in the operationalization of the coal mines.

• The industry experts said that the sector has long sought a single-window clearance system to help with quicker operationalization, as obtaining the requisite clearances was taking over 2-3 years for successful bidders in many cases.

• The expert added that some coal blocks auctioned as far back as 2015 has still not been operationalized due to delays in obtaining required clearances.

• The expert noted that the Parivesh mechanism for forest and environment-related clearances would likely be merged into the single window clearance mechanism to help with the operationalization of the coals blocks that are set to be auctioned in the upcoming auctions.

• The Single Window Clearance Portal is in the spirit of Minimum Government and Maximum Governance and it would be a milestone for Ease of Doing Business in the Indian Coal Sector.

Source: Indian Express