Govt sets up coal regulator to advise on fixing price.

Months after deciding to set up an authority to regulate rail tariff, the government has put in place a similar body for the coal sector, through an executive order. The coal regulator will advise the government on principles and methodologies for price determination, while state-owned Coal India Ltd. (CIL) will continue to fix prices, subject to the coal ministry's approval.

The government had approved the decision to set up a regulator in June last year. The Coal Regulatory Authority (CRA) Bill, introduced in Parliament by the ministry in December, is still pending.

There are proposals for regulatory bodies to govern the roads, biotechnology and real estate sectors as well.


BS