JANUARY 31: Gujarat Minerals Development Corporation (GMDC) in a bid to maintain it's marketshare and compete with the coal imports has slashed lignite prices by Rs 100 a tonne. Talking to mediapersons at Surat, GMDC chairman and managing director VR Kaulagi said that along with GMDC, the private suppliers also have reduced freight rates. Thus, industrial users would get the lignite cheaper by Rs 150-175 a tonne.He admitted that the lignite demand was hit by the cheaper imported coal. Imported coal has a calorific value of 5,600 per unit while lignite contains a calorific value of 3,750 per unit. To maintain the marketshare, GMDC has decided to slash the prices and also start an office at Surat to improve services. Presently, suppliers have to go to Ahmedabad to deposit their pay orders.
Once the Surat office starts business, they could deposit the pay order here. He further stated that the corporation will educate the consumers to do the required rectification of their boilers. At present, coal had been imported from Indonesia and South Africa. But it may not be available at today's price for long as international freight rates are likely to firm up owing to the rise in diesel prices.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.