The Central Government decided to amend the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973 to allow Indian companies, both in the public and private sectors to mine coal in the country without the existing restriction of captive mining. Accordingly a Bill, namely the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2000, was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 24.04.2000. This in was given by Minister of State for Coal Shri Pratik Prakshbapu Patil in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
The minister said that all the major Central Trade Unions raised their opposition to the Bill. Though, attempts have been made at the level of the Minister of Coal and the Minister of Finance, several times in the past, no positive result could be achieved. The first Group of Minister (GOM) was constituted to sort out the issues with the trade unions in 2001, which decided that until the final decision taken, the said Amendment Bill would not be taken up for consideration in the Parliament. In 2004, it was again decided that the Bill will not be moved in the Parliament without arriving at a consensus with the trade unions. Also, a view was taken in the Energy Coordination Committee that the Bill shall be moved only after a consensus is arrived at. The present GOM under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister was constituted in Aug’2009, to further carry forward the dialogue with the trade unions.
The minister said that all the major Central Trade Unions raised their opposition to the Bill. Though, attempts have been made at the level of the Minister of Coal and the Minister of Finance, several times in the past, no positive result could be achieved. The first Group of Minister (GOM) was constituted to sort out the issues with the trade unions in 2001, which decided that until the final decision taken, the said Amendment Bill would not be taken up for consideration in the Parliament. In 2004, it was again decided that the Bill will not be moved in the Parliament without arriving at a consensus with the trade unions. Also, a view was taken in the Energy Coordination Committee that the Bill shall be moved only after a consensus is arrived at. The present GOM under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister was constituted in Aug’2009, to further carry forward the dialogue with the trade unions.
