India deregulates coal sector

India has decided to deregulate its coal industry to encourage private investment and solve the coal production problem, which is not keeping pace with country’s rising energy demands.

India heavily relies on coal — it’s most plentiful energy source — to power the country and is a major global producer.

But as the economy of the second most populated country of the world grows, so does its demand for power, further straining its coal reserves.
“Deregulating the coal industry could help solve the problem of coal production, which has not been keeping pace with the growing energy requirement of India. It would also help invite private investment in this sector,” said Harsh Gupta, the president of the Indian Coal Industry Association, a non-governmental body dealing with the coal industry.

UPI