The Industries and commerce Association (ICA ) has expressed deep concern over neglecting attitude of both state and union governments as well as the coal ministry   towards hardcoke industry has pushed it on death throes..

Addressing the 90th annual general meeting here   on Saturday evening association president BN Singh said , "post Covid-19 pandemic

stimulus packages announced by the union Finance Minister though provide 

some relief to many sectors but the hardcoke industry was left high and dry despite fact that this industry is a major employer of this region and a strategically important industry. The industry faces severe crisis due to the policies of Ministry of Coal, Government  of India, Coal India Limited and its subsidiary Bharat Coking Coal 

Limited( BCCL)".

The industry is on death throes but ministry of coal appears not to be interested in helping this industry to survive.

 "All our requests to the Prime Minister, Coal Minister, Coal India Limited and Bharat Coking Coal Limited has yielded no redults. Though protecting this industry is in the interest of all stake holders as can generate huge revenue for government",he claimed.

Singh said , valuable national resource of coking coal is wasted by supplying it to thermal power plants that do not need coking coal for power generation .

He claimed, this industry once was the second largest employer of the Jharkhand State and provided livelihood to the poor, tribal and other deprived sections of the society.

But the scenario has changed with one policy change after the other starting from  the then Congress Government to the present BJP government that converted linkage coal policy to fuel supply agreement (FSA) and later this too was withdrawn .

He also exprssed concern that state government has failed in increasing the level of ease to doing business to make the state truly industry friendly. Electricity, road and other infrastructure requirements are still not of the level required for rapid industrial growth.

 Dhanbad also  remains are deprived of air  services and this also a shortcoming for industries , he added.

 He requested both from union and state government to announce package to bailout this industry from crisis.

Association senior vice president SK Sinha said future of hard coke industry  lies in green coke  and one should remain prepared for taking up changes keeping in mind the environmental requirements.

Several senior members of the association were present during the AGM held at headquarters of the association .