New Delhi, Apr 19 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a meeting with Power Minister R.K. Singh, Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to access the supply of coals to the thermal powers situation following reports of coal shortage reported by many states.

The meeting was held in the Home Ministry in the North Block to review the power situation and supply of low ash coal to various thermal power plants in the country, the officials said.

In an hour-long meeting, the Ministers reportedly discussed the availability of coal to power plants and the current power demands because the temperature has gone up early this year in April itself .

This move came after in the wake of many states have reported about the low stocks of coal with the thermal powers, the officials, aware of this development said.

As many as 12 states such as Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Jharkhand and Haryana which are facing nominal power cuts now a days because of less coal supply.

The thermal power companies are facing shortage of low ash coal because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as they were unable to get coal loads from Russia.

It was learnt that the Railways Minister has been directed to rush coal loads to the thermal power plants whose coal stocks are on minimum level.

Meanwhile, it was also learnt that the government is mulling to explore the possibility of cheap coal from other countries to meet the shortage that arose after the Russia Ukraine war.

Earlier in October last year, a similar meeting was also held to meet out the coal shortage in the country.

During the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, CMD of Naveli Lignite Corporation, and higher officials of the Coal Ministry were also present.