New Delhi, May 13 -- The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 37,500 crore scheme to promote surface coal and lignite gasification projects, aiming to gasify around 75 million tonnes of coal and attract investments of up to Rs 3 lakh crore, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said during a Cabinet briefing.

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the "Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects" with a total financial outlay of Rs 37,500 crore.

Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Vaishnaw said the scheme is intended to accelerate India's coal and lignite gasification programme and support the national target of gasifying 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030.

According to Vaishnaw,...