Heralding a new chapter in mining for Rajasthan, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday inaugurated Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) Ltd?s 2.1 million tonne per annum lignite mine in Barsingsar village in Bikaner district, making it the first such mine in the mineral-rich state. ?This 2.1 million tonne per lignite mine would feed the adjacent 250-mw thermal power plant in its initial phase. The power generated from this plant would be used to meet the demand of as many as 12 districts of western Rajasthan,? Gandhi said.
Administered through the coal ministry, NLC operates the largest open cast lignite mines in Asia, with production of 21.58 mt of lignite and power generation of 17,455.9 mu for 2007-08.
The Barsingsar project, originally envisaged in 1988, could not take off as election code of conduct was enforced during then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi?s tenure. Successive governments then dragged its feet with the project being handed over to a private party at one stage. In 2004, however, NLC was once again entrusted with the project. ?NLC would expand the capacity of lignite-fed power plants in the state to 1,000 mw. This capacity of power plant at Barsingsar would be doubled,? said minister of state for coal Santosh Bagrodia.