New Delhi, May 13 -- The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved a coal/lignite gasification scheme with a financial outlay of Rs.37,500 crore.

It is a step towards advancing the national target of gasifying 100million tonnes (MT) of coal by 2030, strengthening energy security, and reducing dependence on imports of key products such as LNG [liquefied natural gas[ (more than 50% imported), urea (~20% imported), ammonia (~100% imported), and methanol (~80-90% imported), the note on Cabinet decisions said.

India's import bill for LNG, urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonia, coking coal, methanol and others stood at approximately Rs.2.77 lakh crore in financial year 2025, a vulnerability further exposed by the ongoing geopolitical situation in West As...