GoM Headed by Finance Minister to Look into Environment Clearance Process

The Indian Central Government decided to constitute a Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukerjee to look into all aspects of environment clearance process. The initiative was taken by the government with an objective to find a solution to wrangling between ministries over slow pace of environment clearances. The other members in the Group of Ministers include Coal minister Shriprakash Jaiswal, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Deputy Chairperson of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The ambit of the GoM will not be restricted to only coal projects but will cover all the infrastructure projects, which are getting delayed due to delay in environment clearances.

The ministries of coal, power and road transport had accused Ramesh of causing delay to key infrastructure projects on environmental grounds. A strong complaint against Ramesh was also launched at a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The PM at the behest of the other ministers onstitute a committee headed by BK Chaturvedi, member of the Planning Commission to look into environmental delay regarding coal linkages for power projects.

The environment ministry had imposed a go-no go policy for coal mining which resulted in no new project getting clearance in the last one year. Key power projects are stuck as coal linkages have not been cleared and several road highway projects passing through wildlife sanctuaries are kept on hold.