Single-window clearance for coal
Context: The Union government has announced a new online single window clearance portal for the coal sector to speed up the operationalisation of coal mines.
What is a single-window clearance portal?
- A single window clearance portal is aimed at allowing successful bidders for coal blocks to be able to obtain all required clearances, including environmental and forest clearances, from a single portal with progress monitoring, instead of having to go to multiple authorities.
- The portal should allow successful bidders to operationalise coal mines more quickly.
- Presently, about 19 major approvals, or clearances are required before starting the coal mine in the country.
- In the absence of unified platform for grant of clearances companies were required to approach different departments, leading to delay in operationalization of the coal
How will this help?
- Will help with quicker operationalisation, as obtaining the requisite clearances was taking over 2-3 years for successful bidders in many cases.
- Parivesh mechanism for forest and environment related clearances would likely be merged into the single window clearance mechanism.