Maharashtra Cabinet Greenlights Land Allocation for Major Coal Gasification Hub
The Maharashtra state cabinet has officially cleared a significant proposal to allocate approximately 290 acres of land for coal-to-chemical projects in Linga village, located within the Kalmeshwar taluka. This strategic decision is directly tied to advancing coal gasification technology, which aims to extract syngas (synthesis gas) and various downstream derivatives, including hydrogen, from coal resources.
Adani Group's Ambitious 70,000 Crore Investment Plan
In a related development, the Adani Group has publicly announced its plans to establish a massive coal gasification plant at the same Linga site, with an estimated investment of 70,000 crore rupees. Jeet Adani, a director at Adani Airports, confirmed this during his visit to Nagpur for the Advantage Vidarbha Khasdar Audyogik Mahotsav. He indicated that the company anticipates commencing work on the project within the current year. Furthermore, the Adani Group has outlined intentions for a second phase of the project, which would involve an equivalent level of investment, potentially doubling the overall financial commitment.
Land Allocation Details and Government Terms
An official involved in the process noted that it remains unclear whether the allocated land is specifically reserved for the Adani Group's project or is intended more broadly for any coal gasification ventures in the region. According to the cabinet's decision, the land will be provided as revenue land and will be handed over as category 2 land. This transfer will require payment of a consideration aligned with current market valuations. Importantly, under the established terms and conditions, business entities undertaking coal gasification projects will not gain ownership rights over the land but will be granted possession rights for the duration of the project.
National Push for Coal Gasification and Regional Expansion
The Maharashtra government's move is part of a larger national initiative to promote coal gasification projects across India. The central government has allocated 8,500 crore rupees as viability gap funding to support such endeavors, and discussions are underway to potentially increase this allocation. In the Vidarbha region alone, aside from the Linga project, there are four additional coal gasification projects currently in the planning stages, highlighting the area's growing importance as a hub for this innovative energy and chemical production technology.
