Kishan takes charge, promises to increase coal production

Hyderabad : Union Minister G Kishan Reddy after taking charge as the Minister of Coal and Mining on Thursday said that the ministries were earlier headed by former ministers Prahlad Joshi and Piyush Goyal efficiently. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reposed trust in me and I will work hard to meet the expectations of Modi ji,” he said.

He terming the electricity sector as a crucial one in people's lives and recalled how the sector suffered ten years ago with power shortages hitting the industries hard. He said that a shortage of power would also hurt the agriculture sector. However, the issue of shortage of electricity faced in the States has been resolved in the last ten years under Modi's government, with increased output and supply of coal to the power sector, he pointed out.

Kishan Reddy said that at present the country is importing coal from other countries and steps would be taken to increase the coal production in the country to meet domestic needs.

Also, on the mining front, Kishan Reddy said that steps would be taken to increase job opportunities in the sector and also increase mineral exports to drive economic development.