Government on Tuesday said it will soon notify the guidelines for swapping of coal linkages, a move that would help the nation save at least Rs20,000 crore in electricity bills.

“The correction of the grade of coal and the permission or ability to swap coal or exchange coal within plants, within the same company or even between the companies based on the guidelines which we will be shortly notifying after approval will help the nation save at least Rs20,000 crore in power bills,” Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal said during a workshop.

He further said that the framework will completely liberalise the ability of the companies to use coal in the most cost-effective manner.

“We are looking at liberalising the coal linkages so that intra-company for example NTPC may have linkages for 45 plants it can swap it inter-se those plants in the most cost effective manner. States, public and private sector companies will also be permitted to exchange coal,” he said.

On ailing discoms, he said that the Government is working on a permanent solution and is in consultations with the states and ministries involved.

“We are working on final contours of our plan. It is being drawn up in consultation with the states which are largely affected with discom losses. We are also in consultations with various ministries involved and I am quite sure that we will find a permanent resolution xto this problem,” Goyal said.

“Gradually, we will trace out the current level of losses which is Rs60,000 core a year and hopefully not allow this situation to occur ever again,” he said.