NLCIL Gets Rs 70 Billion Boost for Green Energy Expansion

17 Jul 2025 CW Team

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has granted NLC India Limited (NLCIL) a special exemption from prevailing investment guidelines for Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), enabling it to invest Rs 70 billion in its wholly owned subsidiary, NLC India Renewables Limited (NIRL). This strategic relaxation allows NIRL to invest directly or form joint ventures without prior approvals and exempts the investment from the Department of Public Enterprises’ 30 per cent net worth cap on CPSE investments in subsidiaries and JVs.

The move is designed to provide greater financial and operational flexibility as NLCIL accelerates efforts to meet its renewable energy ambitions—developing 10.11 GW capacity by 2030 and expanding to 32 GW by 2047. These goals support India's COP26 climate commitments, including building 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030 and achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070 under the Panchamrit strategy.

Currently, NLCIL operates seven renewable energy assets with a combined installed capacity of 2 GW, either already in operation or nearing commercial launch. These assets will now be transferred to NIRL, which has been envisioned as the flagship platform for executing NLCIL’s green energy projects. NIRL is also actively pursuing new opportunities through competitive bidding and other mechanisms to expand its portfolio.

This Cabinet approval is expected to strengthen India’s leadership in the global green energy space, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and curb coal imports, while also supporting uninterrupted power supply across the nation.

In addition to environmental gains, the initiative is expected to generate considerable employment—both directly and indirectly—during project construction and operation, thus fostering inclusive economic development and benefiting local communities.

Infrastructure Transport

18 Dec 2025

RVNL secures Rs 1.65 billion railway bridge project from North Eastern Railway

Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL) has received a Letter of Award (LoA) from North Eastern Railway for a Rs 1.65 billion railway infrastructure project, strengthening its order book and showcasing its expertise in complex railway construction.The project involves constructing the substructure of a major railway bridge over the Gandak River, located between Paniyahwa and Valmikinagar stations. This is part of the doubling of the Gorakhpur Cantt–Valmikinagar railway section, aimed at improving line capacity and operational efficiency.The bridge will feature 14 spans of 61 metres each, built on double D-t..

Raebareli’s Modern Coach Factory rolls out 15,000th railway coach

The Modern Coach Factory (MCF) at Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh has achieved a major manufacturing milestone with the rollout of its 15,000th railway coach on December 15, the Ministry of Railways said.In a press note, the ministry said that MCF has already produced 1,310 coaches in the current financial year 2025–26, reflecting sustained high output at one of Indian Railways’ most advanced passenger coach manufacturing units.Established in 2007 at Lalganj in Raebareli district, MCF was built at a cost of Rs 31.92 billion with an initial annual production capacity of 1,000 coaches. The factor..

RailTel wins Rs 260.88 million IT infrastructure order from VOC Port

Navratna public sector undertaking RailTel Corporation of India has secured an IT infrastructure order worth Rs 260.88 million from V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port), strengthening its presence in port-led digital transformation projects.According to an exchange filing dated December 16, 2025, RailTel has received a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) from VOC Port Authority for the implementation of advanced IT infrastructure at the port. The project is domestic in nature and is scheduled to be completed by August 15, 2026.The company said the order has been awarded in the normal course of ..