New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) The Indian Newsprint Manufacturers Association (INMA) on Tuesday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to resolve coal supply-related issues faced by its member companies, which supply newsprint to print media outlets, including leading dailies such as The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, Navbharat Times and Punjab Kesari, among others.

The association has said in a letter to the Prime Minister that its members are facing serious difficulties in securing timely coal supplies under their respective Fuel Supply Agreements (FSAs) with various Coal India Limited (CIL) subsidiaries such as Northern Coalfields (NCL), Central Coalfields (CCL), South Eastern Coalfields (SECL) and Western Coalfields (WCL).

INMA added that despite having valid long-term agreements in place and paying the applicable premium for assured coal supplies, its member companies were not receiving their allocated coal rakes in accordance with the agreed schedules.

“The persistent shortage of coal has prevented our members from operating their manufacturing units at optimal capacity, adversely affecting production and potentially disrupting the availability of newsprint in the domestic market. Given that newsprint is an essential input for the print media industry, continued production constraints may also affect the timely and adequate supply of newsprint to newspapers and other publications across the country,” the letter said.

“The irregularity in coal rake dispatches to non-regulated sector (NRS) consumers has also resulted in the bunching of allocated rakes, with multiple rakes being dispatched within a short span of time after prolonged delays. This erratic scheduling has created serious financial and logistical difficulties for INMA members, including challenges relating to working capital, coal handling, storage capacity and transportation arrangements,” the association said.

The association also sought implementation of the recommendation of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) regarding the allocation and dispatch of coal in the ratio of 75:25 between the power sector and the non-power sector.

INMA alleged that the present pattern of coal dispatches, where more than 95 per cent of the coal is being supplied to power plants, has created considerable difficulties for non-regulated sector consumers, including its members.

–IANS

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