PANAJI
Eager to improve cash inflows into the starved exchequer, the Goa government is hoping to fast-track the process of operating the Madhya Pradesh coal block and has decided to invite bids for request for proposal (RFP).
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant chaired a meeting of the government's steering committee for Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) projects on Friday where an 'advisory firm' has been shortlisted.
The Industries Minister, Goa IDC chairman Glen Ticlo, Industries Secretary Ashok Kumar were part of the deliberations.
The RFP will be floated by November 10 by the Goa IDC to invite proposals to develop and operate coal mines in the block allocated to Goa IDC in Madhya Pradesh.
This is the second time Goa has been allocated a coal block after the Coalgate quagmire led to the Supreme Court cancelling all allocations done the first time by the Coal Ministry way back in 2008-09.
A previous bid by Goa IDC to operate the block in Madhya Pradesh had to be aborted in November last year after the Finance Department vetoed the State-owned Corporation's plea to allocate Rs 196 crore it needed to kick start the operations.
