Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

16-March-2012 14:14 IST

ECBS to Part Finance Power Project DEBT

Inter-Ministerial Group for Periodical Group of Allocated Coal Mines

While presenting the General Budget 2012-13 here today in LokSabha, ShriPranab Mukherjee, Finance Minister proposed permission of External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) in the power sector in order to partly finance the Rupee debt of existing power plants.

Shri Mukherjee stated that an inter-ministerial group is being constituted to undertake periodical review of allocated coal mines and to make recommendations on de-allocations, if required.

The Finance Minister informed that to address the concern of fuel supply constraints, Coal India Limited (CIL) has been advised to sign fuel supply agreement with power plan that have entered into long term Power Purchase Agreements with DISCOMs and will get commissioned on or before March 31st 2015.

DSM/MV/LMP/53

External Commercial Borrowings allowed to partly finance rupee debt of existing power plants, coupled with fuel supply safeguards. Permission is proposed for External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) to partly finance rupee debt of existing power plants. An inter-ministerial group will periodically review allocated coal mines and may recommend de-allocations. Coal India Limited is advised to sign fuel supply agreements with power plants that have long-term power purchase agreements and meet the commissioning deadline, tying fuel supply to PPA-backed, on-schedule projects.